Primeval
by Xaphrin
Summary: The beast has branded Raven for its mate, but she refuses to believe that he can claim her. Can Beast Boy convince her that she is the one to satiate him? Or will reason rule over love?
1. Chapter 1

_This is a bit darker than my usual fare. You have been warned._

**Primeval**

It chased her without mercy, looming behind her like death its self.

Raven could feel the underbrush press against her, scratching and raking macabre, red patterns across her pale skin. Her foot caught on a gnarled root and she had to cling to a broken branch to keep herself from tumbling into the earth. Her breath caught like steel hooks in her lungs, clawing at her and filling her with the scent of moist, decaying leaves and wet dog. Blood trickled over her pale skin and down her leg, pooling at her heel. On her right hip were three long gashes that sliced sideways from belly button to spine. It was a mark, a brand on her body that signified she had been chosen.

Raven was running from a present she didn't understand, and a future she couldn't see.

In the distance a lonely howl pierced the thick silence of the forest, sending shivers down her spine. Raven could feel panic ripple through her muscles and her feet picked up again, zigzagging through the trees. Seconds turned to minutes, the minutes faded into an hour, her muscles growing weary with every step, but the beast behind her never tired. It followed closely, matching her stride for stride. It never tired of the chase. Finally, she tumbled through the tree line, her body now subdued by exhaustion. Red foot prints followed her into the center of the field, before she collapsed stomach-first on the lone boulder standing like an altar in the sea of tall, golden grass.

Raven lay there, gasping for breath, watching the movement through her peripheral vision. Twigs snapped, and grunts and snarls could be heard in the near distance. If she moved just the right way, she could see flashes of a beast circling towards her. He was eyeing his prey, the prey that he'd already marked. It paused at her footprints, lapping at the blood and savoring the taste.

Raven swallowed her fear and turned to face it. There was a long moment as their eyes met, he bore his teeth and snarled again. Raven's heart picked up, pounding against her ribs in a frantic, unorganized rhythm. Above her, the sky cracked open in a flash of light, and the heavens opened up, diluting the scent of her blood. The beast howled, stepping toward her slowly, as if contemplating its plan. Raven grunted in pain as her body slid further down the slick boulder, exposing the backs of her naked thighs.

It took a long step toward her, paused, another, and another...

Raven's lips moved, mumbled out silent, breathless words as it moved closer to her. The beast growled and sniffed at her hair, her neck, the mark it made on her hip, and then her sex. It grumbled in satisfaction as it moved behind her. After a pause of anticipation, soft skin slid along the backs of her legs, stroking her from ankle to hips, mixing blood and water and sweat. Strong, nimble fingers explored and probed her, examining her body.

There was another low grunt before weight settled onto her back and human lips feathered across her neck, over her shoulders, and down her spine. A broad, warm tongue stroking her whenever he felt it was necessary. Pressure began to build between them, and Raven let loose sobs of ragged emotion. The sky cracked open again, and Raven let a word of affirmation fall from her lips. A disapproving growl was her response.

Raven cried again, her fingers clutching the grass, searching for anything to hold on to. The lips returned to her neck, pressing against her ear as more silent words spilled out. Raven wasn't sure if it was rain soaking her face or if it was tears. The fingers continued to explore her while the other hand stilled her movements, restraining her thrashing body against the boulder. The tongue that had tasted her was now lapping at her neck, followed by the scrape of sharp, animalistic teeth. A low, deep chuckle filled her ears before the teeth sunk into her neck, subduing her. Raven screamed, her fingers digging even deeper into the grass. She felt his broad, strong hands grip her hips, positioning her like a sacrifice on the boulder.

Raven screamed and bolted up right in bed, clutching her chest, trying to calm the rapid movement of her body and the blood in her ears. She gasped for breath, fighting for control over her body. What the hell just happened? Raven's hand slid down to her stomach and felt her muscles clench and unclench in anticipation and shock. Her body was confused, both aroused and repulsed by what her mind had witnessed, and unable to process either reaction. Still gasping, she removed the covers from her body and fell out of her bed, limbs shaking under her weight.

Raven stumbled toward her bathroom, trying to regain her mental footing on this plane of existence. The back of her head seemed to buzz with a million different kinds of energies, grasping at pictures and emotions from her very _vivid _dream. Raven turned on the cold water and splashed her face, staring at her sallow reflection in the mirror. Her skin was nearly translucent, and her eyes appeared sunken into her face. She took a deep breath and stepped back, calming herself. She needed to be logical and pragmatic about this, otherwise things would start blowing up and the world would tumble around her ears. Not to mention what her friends would think if they found out. Ugh.

She pressed a cold cloth to her forehead and sat down of the edge of the bathtub, still staring at her reflection in the mirror. First, and foremost, she knew that her pursuer had been Beast Boy (Changeling, Garfield, Beast Man… whatever he called himself these days). And while his ferocity was startling, having him invade her dreams wasn't _entirely _unusual. Raven's face flushed bright red as memories of previous dreams infiltrated her senses. But all of _her _dreams had been slightly more conventional, with fuzzy images and awkward touching. Never had she experienced something so… _primeval_. Something that shook the very core of a woman's primitive nature.

The whole scenario seemed almost ritualistic. A brand, a chase, submission, and then the final act in claiming her. It seemed very ordered and particular, with each piece fitting part of the ritual. Wait… a brand? Raven pulled up her top and stared down at her right hip. There, next to her bellybutton were three light red marks sliding across her pale skin. Raven touched them, feeling a gentle heat burn underneath, as if she had just gently scraped against something. She closed her eyes, trying to remember how she had gotten them…

_"Damnit, Beast Boy!" Raven barely had time to tell him to watch out before his body connected with hers. They tumbled end-over-end until finally rolling to a stop next to a cement pillar. Beast Boy grunted as she landed on top of him, her cloak sliding around both of them. He offered her a sheepish grin and moved his hands to her hips._

_"Heh… sorry, Rae. I didn't mean to roll into you." His grip tightened on her hips and he slid her body off of his. Raven felt heat explode in her stomach and she stared at him, trying to remember that there was a fight going on around them and she needed to pay attention to it, and not focus on her clumsy friend. "I'll try harder not to hit you next time."_

_Raven rolled her eyes and stood up, dusting herself off. "Try to make sure there isn't a next time."_

_"Will do!" Beast Boy moved to salute her, but something caught his gaze, and color flooded his face. He stepped forward and pressed his hand against her hip again, as if trying to examine her. "Awe, man, Rae! I'm really sorry, I must have scratched you when we fell. Does it hurt?"_

_Raven blinked up at his face, her own face turning red at their proximity. She tried to pull away, but her back connected with the pillar and pinned her in that small space in front of Beast Boy. "I'm fine… it's just my hip, nothing to be concerned with."_

_His face paled suddenly and he yanked his hand back as if he'd been burned, staring intently at the three small scratches next to her bellybutton. "Your hip?"_

_Raven blinked, cocking her head to the side. Her eyebrows knitted together, trying to decipher the emotions running across his face. What did it matter if it was her hip or shoulder or other body part? "Yeah. So, forget about it and let's get back to the fight before Mammoth pummels our leader."_

_"Ah… right…" He rubbed the back of his head and turned from her, jogging back into the throng of the fight. Raven shook her head and stared down at the small, bloody scratches, touching them gingerly. She took a deep breath and began to heal herself, but the marks still felt strange, as if they were more than just an accidental injury. Raven shook off the feeling and followed Beast Boy back to their friends. _

That had been last week, and despite of her intense healing abilities the evidence of the mark was still there, burning like a brand. Raven splashed her face with water again and stepped out of her bathroom. It was nearing normal waking hours, so there was so real reason for Raven to go back to sleep. Not to mention she wanted to avoid having that dream again. She stripped off her pajamas and pulled on her uniform, readying for what would undoubtedly be an interesting day.

The tower was still quiet this early. Somewhere, several floors below, Raven could hear Robin starting his early-morning training routine, but there were no other signs of life. Cyborg must have still been powered down, Starfire asleep, and Beast Boy…

"Oh. Hey."

Raven jumped and nearly tripped over her own feet. She hadn't heard him? He was usually as loud as a herd of elephants trampling down the hallway, how did she miss him? Furthermore, how had he managed to stay so quiet? Raven offered him a half-hearted wave, avoiding his curious gaze. "Hello."

"You're up early." He fell into step behind her, and Raven had to use every ounce of her restraint not to turn around and snap his neck. She didn't need him this close, especially not after… _whatever _that was last night. "Everything okay?"

"Fine." She turned into the kitchen and began rummaging through the cabinets, hoping he would get the hint.

"Okay…" Beast Boy moved to leave, and Raven started to breathe a sigh of relief, when he paused and turned back to her. Raven watched him cock his head to the side and stare at her, leaning back on his heels, hands on his hips. "Are you sure? You seem kinda… off."

"Beast Boy…" Raven turned and watched a frown pass across his lips.

"Awe, come on, Rae. No one calls me that anymore. I'm too old." Raven just rolled her eyes at him and continued to rummage. Maybe if she ignored him, he would just go away. He gave her a one-shouldered shrug and started for the kitchen door. "Whatever… see you later."

"Hey." Why was she doing this? Why did she call him back to her? He paused and turned around to face her, raising an eyebrow in silent acknowledgement. Raven felt panic seize up her muscles and she stared, wide-eyed at Beast Boy. He blinked at her before raising an eyebrow. Raven cleared her throat and fidgeted with the glass in her hand. "Um… can I ask you something really strange?"

He shrugged and took a few steps closer to her. "Depends on what it is, why?"

"Ah…" Why was she doing this? Why couldn't she just leave well-enough alone? Raven turned to the fridge, shrugging slightly. She opened it up, hunting for the juice that was hiding somewhere in the back. "Never mind, it's not a big deal…"

Beast Boy gave a dramatic sigh and leaned over the fridge door to stare at her. She glanced up at him, frowning. "What's up, Rae? I don't mean to sound rude, but this is the most you've talked to me in a week. You've been darting the other way every time we're in the same room together. Not that we've ever had a deep, meaningful relationship or anything… but I thought we were at least friends."

Damnit. When had he gotten so perceptive? There were times when Raven really liked the young, prank-playing, joke-telling, childish Beast Boy. At least, he was slightly more oblivious to the world and could ignore a topic when told to. "I… Yes, we're friends… it's just…" Raven stood up and closed the fridge door, leaning against it. Did she even trust herself to ask him about the dream? What if it wasn't his? What if it was her own dream? That thought sent all kinds of strange sensations rippling down her spine. "It's kind of a weird question, and I'm not sure I _really _want the answer."

He shrugged. "Ask or don't ask, there is no try."

Raven rolled her eyes. There was the old Beast Boy. She stared at the floor, watching his shadow slide across the tiles. Moments passed, and his calm demeanor morphed into fidgeting. She guessed now was as good a time as any. "Did you happen to dream last night?"

Silence was her response, and Raven looked up into his shocked face. He stumbled backward a few paces, a hand over his mouth, eyes wide and staring at her. Well, _there _was her answer. The tension between them seemed to grow thick and uncomfortable, and Raven was forced to look away. "Raven… did you… see my dream?"

"Uhm… I'm not sure… did it involve the beast, a field, and… me?" He nodded slowly, tongue coming out to wet his suddenly dry lips. Raven shuddered slightly, taking a step back. "Then yes. Apparently you were broadcasting your dream all over my mind."

"I… I have to go now." He moved closer to the door, hand reaching out to open it. Raven grabbed the sleeve of his uniform, eyes meeting his. Why was she doing this? She should have let him go and pretended this conversation never happened! Beast Boy shifted slightly, pulling his arm away from her grasp. "Please, Raven… don't ask me about this. Anything but this."

"It's a ritual, isn't it?" Raven whispered to the floor.

He stopped again and turned toward her. "Yeah… I… the _beast_ has to take a mate."

"A mate?" Raven picked her gaze up and looked him in the eyes. Curiosity whispered at the edges of her mind. She really needed to let it go, but the illogical part of her mind wanted to keep prying for answers, it wanted open doors to places she _knew _she did not want to go. "Something permanent or just to procreate?"

"Permanent… as far as I can tell…" Beast Boy rubbed his upper arms, trying to ward off a chill. He shuffled his feet slightly before picking his gaze up to meet hers. "Look, Rae… if you want to go poking around in my dreams, can you at least _ask _first? You weren't invited, and this conversation is super embarrassing."

"That's putting it mildly." Raven crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him. She felt her anger spike, and Beast Boy stumbled back a few more paces. What right did he have to accuse her of _spying_? And spying on his little nighttime emission dreams? Like _that's _what she wanted to do with her free time. She bore her teeth at him, growling low in her throat. "Look, _like I said_, you were broadcasting the dream all over my mind. I was there with you, and trust me… it wasn't a pleasant experience to be… _dominated_. And by _you _of all people." Okay… that was a little low.

"Wait… what?" Panic seemed to fill Beast Boy's muscles, and his limbs began to shake. "You were _there_? Like… as…"

"_Yes_." Raven snarled again, approaching him. "I wasn't just watching, I was _experiencing_. I was right there, running from you the whole time. Right there when the beast cornered me, right there when you _touched me_, right there when…" Raven's voice trailed off both her and Beast Boy were panting heavily, barely touching, staring at each other. Raven jumped away from him, her face burning in embarrassment. What was she _doing_? They started to fight, but lost the point somewhere in the middle of her words and moved closer to each other, as if searching for some kind of release. Raven pressed a hand to her forehead and looked away. "What is going on?"

"I… I don't know." Raven looked up to see Beast Boy suddenly crowding her space, eyes clouded, as if he was in a haze. She tried to step back, but her hip connected with the counter, and she had nowhere else to go. Beast Boy picked his hand up and touched her right hip gently, stroking the curvature through the Kevlar and neoprene. The mark on her hip seemed to burn into life at his touch, and Raven groaned in a mixture between pain and pleasure. "You have a mark here… don't you."

"Last week, when you fell into me." Raven's eyes swept up to meet his, and Beast Boy ducked his head to get closer to her mouth. His breath touched her lips, warm and moist across her skin. Raven found herself leaning up into him, and that scared her. This needed to stop, before something irrevocable happened. She pressed a hand to his chest, forcing him to move back. "Please, stop…"

"I…" Beast Boy shook his head and turned around, facing away from her. She watched as he clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to regain himself through the clouded emotions. "I am so sorry. Believe me, Rae. It was an accident! I didn't mean to! I thought… maybe if I didn't act on it, it would all go away. I could pretend it never happened."

"Act on _what_?" Raven didn't need to ask, the dream had already explained everything to her.

"The beast he…" Beast Boy looked over his shoulder at her, guilt lining his expression. "He branded you for his mate."

"What." The word was more of a statement of shock than a question. Raven felt her heart slam against her ribs as she stared at him. She was branded for a _mate_? For the beast? Or for Beast Boy? "Are you serious? Is that why I'm having your dreams?"

"I… guess… the beast…" Beast Boy touched his abdomen, looking down at his hands. Raven could feel the fear and anger pouring off him, and for the first time in a long time she was concerned for Beast Boy. He could be so care-free sometimes that it was easy to forget that he had so many evils lurking at the surface of his being. The beast was his own birthmark, his own burden to bear. "He's getting restless. He's tired of waiting, he wants action…"

That was an interesting choice of words. "Well… tell him to calm down, because he's not getting any action."

"It's not that simple, Rae! He wants to dominate you! And that means at any cost, he doesn't care if you get hurt. He just wants to possess." Beast Boy stared at her, shaking his head. "You don't understand what it takes to control him sometimes… when you're so close." He stepped up to her again, eyes turning dark. "And so warm…" He buried his nose in her hair, breathing deep. "It can smell your emotions, hear your blood… it wants you."

"Ah…" Raven tried to make some noise of protest, but the sound seemed to die in her throat. Beast Boy had taken to gently stroking her right hip, tracing patterns through her uniform. Against her better judgment, Raven closed her eyes and leaned into him. She knew this was _beyond _wrong, but she couldn't stop herself. For once in her life it was nice to let go of sanity and indulge in something a little forbidden. Beast Boy nipped at her earlobes.

"This is bad."

Raven gave an inelegant snort, and pushed him back a few more paces. "You're preaching to the choir." They stared at each other, blushing and wallowing in the awkward silence around them. "So… how do we reverse this… _mark?_"

Beast Boy shook his head, shrugging. "I don't know."

"That's great." Raven slid out of the small space between the counter and Beast Boy, taking a deep breath of freedom. She took a few, cautious steps toward the door, in case she needed to make a quick escape. "So, I have to carry this mark around with me for the rest of my life?"

Beast Boy cringed as if he'd been hurt. "If we don't figure out how to reverse it… yes."

"And you'll be stuck with the unwanted desire for me, right?" Raven pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.

"If that's how you want to put it… yeah."

Raven glanced up and stared at her friend, who looked like the epitome of dejection. It didn't take a genius to figure out that something was wrong. "Beast Boy… did you _choose _me?"

"I… didn't. The beast…" Beast Boy opened his mouth, as if he were going to say something else, but decided against it. He shook his head and started for the kitchen door, avoiding her curious stare. "Never mind, Rae. I've got some things to do, we'll sort this out later. Promise." He offered her a broken smile and waved. "See ya."

Raven watched him leave, feeling something strange well up into her chest. It wasn't sadness, or anger, annoyance… it was pity. She was pitying him for everything he had to go through, and no way to control it. Raven had her books and her mirror to reference when something went awry in her life, but Beast Boy was the only one of his kind. Who did he have to turn to? He just had to stumble through his life, hoping he made the right decisions. It had to be a heavy burden, but he never let anyone know. Not even his best friends.

"Morning." Raven jumped and watched Robin wave at her, moving toward the coffee pot. "You're up early."

"Yes… I couldn't sleep." Raven poured herself a glass of nearly forgotten juice and turned to look at her leader. He was shuffling through some paperwork, making notes in the margins, completely oblivious to the cloud of leftover energy from Raven and Beast Boy. He hummed-and-hawed over a particularly interesting paragraph. Raven smiled slightly, sometimes it was really nice to have a leader who was so unaware to emotions. Although it did tend to drive Starfire nearly crazy.

"Beast Boy was up early too… did you run into him?"

Raven pressed a hand to her forehead, nearly throwing her glass at him. Leave it to the Boy Wonder to ruin her perfectly emotionless moment. "I did. Why?"

"He seemed upset… I thought maybe you two fought again." He sipped at his coffee, watching her out of the corner of his eyes. Raven felt the strongest desire to yank his cape over his head. "Just wanted to make sure you're not picking on him again. He likes you too much."

"No. I'm not picking on him." Raven placed her empty glass on the counter and rolled her eyes, making sure he saw. "And go stick your nose in someone else's business, Robin."

He didn't even flinch at the unspoken threat. "Just making sure."

Raven turned and left the kitchen, making way for the exit. She felt like going out today, maybe getting all of this off of her mind. It was a lot to handle, a lot to process, and a lot to take in. Why had the beast chosen her? Over all the girls in Beast Boy's life… why _her_? What was so special about her? What could she offer the beast that someone else couldn't? There were a million other girls who were prettier, nicer, stronger, more passionate than her… she was just a half-demoness with enough problems of her own. She couldn't handle the problems of another as well.

"Are you following me?"

Raven jumped and looked up into Beast Boy's green eyes. Great, just what she needed right now. "No… why?"

"Because I left five minutes ago and now you're here…" He crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. "I don't really want to talk about this right now."

"I didn't come looking for you." Raven snorted and pushed past him, towards the main entry door. She stepped outside, letting the sun and wind whip around her body. The waves lapped angrily at the shore, trying to break the rock with every thrust. She heard the crunch of gravel behind her, and looked at Beast Boy, sighing. "Are you following me now?"

"I told you, I can't help myself when you're near… I just want to be close to you." Beast Boy stepped next to her, sighing. "I can't deny the beast if he wants something… it hurts."

"Hurts?" Raven watched his face contort with pain and he nodded.

"The beast isn't exactly _nice_, you know?" Beast Boy shifted his weight, but didn't look down at her. The waves broke against the shore, receded, and rushed again, splashing Raven with sea spray. "It gets upset when I deny it what it wants, and he'll attack me if I outright refuse." He rubbed the back of his head. "It's probably the one 'broadcasting' my dreams all over you. It's trying to lure you in and make you realize… this." Beast Boy motioned to himself.

"What hurts, when you deny it?" Raven plopped down on a rock, pulling off her boots. Beast Boy watched her, shrugging.

"Everything. It's like… my whole body just erupts in this intense pain, because I won't succumb to my more primal side… But I won't let it control me, I'm stronger than that." He cocked his head to the side, watching as she gingerly stepped into the water, splashing the water around her ankles. "What are you doing?"

Raven shrugged. "Jumping in, why?"

"Because…" He stepped closer to her, hand moving towards her hip. Raven watched as his eyes got that clouded look again, as if something was taking over his body. She moved closer to him, let his hand caress her hip, trace the brand with his fingertips. Raven whimpered slightly and reached out to touch his sternum, slowly tracing it from clavicle to bellybutton. Was this so _terrible_? After all, Beast Boy had matured, grown, aged… but still…

"Stop. Please." Beast Boy grabbed her hand and stepped back, frowning. Raven felt color flood her face and she yanked her hand away. What was she _doing_? This was _Beast Boy_. The silly, childish prankster who didn't know a mature emotion if it smacked him in the head. And she was just _touching _him like she wanted him. Raven pressed a hand to her forehead and took a few more steps back, putting much needed space and water between them.

He ran a hand through his hair and growled. "Look, Raven…" Raven jerked slightly in shock. He _never_ called her Raven, it was _always _Rae, even when he was trying to be serious. There was something inside her that turned cold at the tone. He sighed. "I don't think it's a good idea that we stay alone together. I don't know what the beast will do, and I don't know if I have the strength to stop it."

"Oh." Raven stepped out of the water and pulled on her boots, feeling his eyes follow her. Something in her chest hurt and she sniffed indignantly. "You didn't have to come out here, you know. You could have stayed inside and away from me."

"I already told you, I can't deny the beast everything. If I can satiate it for a little I will." His tone was slightly acrid, and Raven stumbled back a few steps. He was angry with her, but this wasn't her fault. She didn't want this, he _knew that._ So, why did it feel as though he was blaming her? Beast Boy shook his head and sighed. "I'm sorry."

Raven looked up at him, watching him shift his weight back and forth, uncomfortable with the way things were turning out. Funny, how one dream can turn everything they knew and understood into a series of awkward moment and situations. She cocked her head to the side, watching him frown. "Why me?" Beast Boy didn't look at her, and she knew he was trying to avoid that question. Of course he would try to run away from more of his problems and pretend that she wasn't there for him. Like always. "Never mind… look, I'm going to go somewhere I can think and try to figure this out."

"Because I like you."

Raven felt her heart stop before jumping into her throat, beating out a frantic rhythm. She turned and looked at him, shuffling awkwardly. He picked his head up, kicking a stone into the bay. Raven clutched her chest, still staring. Why wouldn't her brain function properly? Why did it feel like her whole body had stopped working? "You… But… I…"

"Yeah, well… now you know why the beast chose you." He looked at her and shrugged, expression unreadable. "Not that it does me any good or anything."

"You never told me."

"You're an empath… I figured I wouldn't have to." He sighed. "Sorry to drop that bomb on you."

Raven stared at him, her throat tightening in fear. A million different emotions were threatening to break her resolve, threatening to tear her apart. "You don't want to reverse this… do you?"

"No." He leaned back on his heels, watching the waves rush in and out. His voice was a mixture between serene and desperate. As if he knew he was accepting a fate of unrequited love, but still held on to tiny threads of hope. "I was hoping maybe… just maybe… you could learn to love me… in time. Maybe, eventually, you would want me too."

"You…" Raven looked away, trying to calm her body and keep it from going haywire. It was no easy task. She looked back toward him, frowning. "You… selfish jerk! You stupid, self-centered, egotistical, _beast_." She picked up a stone and threw it at him. He cursed as it made contact with his chest and glared at her. "You did this to me? Branded me? Messed with my emotions? And just so you could trick me into loving you?"

"I wasn't tricking you!" Beast Boy stepped up to her, snarling. He grabbed her wrists tightly, preventing her from grabbing any more stones. His claws had extended, and were digging into her skin, but Raven was too angry to feel the pain. All she wanted to do was hit Beast Boy. "I didn't have any control over the beast. _It_ did this to you, it was just going off my own emotions and feelings. I'm _sorry _I like you, I'm _sorry _the beast did this… I really am! But… I don't want to reverse it."

"Of course not! You just want to dominate me!" Raven pushed herself forward and growled at Beast Boy. Her emotions were threatening to get the better of her, and if she didn't calm down, something would happen that she couldn't stop. "You didn't give any regard to how I would feel, to how I would react. You just wanted me for some giant, breeding, whore. You silly animal." Too late.

"Animal?" Beast Boy threw her to the side, and her body connected with a swell of a wave. She lay in the water, soaking wet and staring up at him. His fangs were fully extended, his eyes red with emotion, and his hands shaking with the desire to dominate. "Do you _want_ me to be an animal, Raven? Because I don't need your consent to claim you. I don't _need_ _you_ to satiate the beast inside me, I can just use your body." He stood over her, letting the water run over his legs. "I'm stronger than you think."

"Beast Boy…" Raven began to see her mistake in taunting him. The beast was so close to the surface, trying to find its way out. She tried to move away, but another swell of water pushed her back to him. He still straddled her, staring down, condescending. "I…"

"Shut up." He knelt down, grabbing a fistful of her hair. He pressed his mouth greedily to hers nearly sucking the breath right from her lungs. His lips bruised her, demanding a response rather than commanding it. Raven raised a hand to hit him, but he stopped her, sliding his free arm around to pin her own arms to her side. There was a gasp of ragged breath, and his lips eased their pressure and the fingers in her hair loosened their hold. Beast Boy pulled away, pupils dilated with a million emotions Raven couldn't place. "I'm sorry. I didn't… I mean…"

"I taunted the beast." Raved touched a hand to the sore spot on her scalp, rubbing gently. She looked up at him, knowing full well that he could see the fear in her eyes. He winced and looked away.

"That was awful, Raven… please… don't ever let me do that again." The red in his eyes had faded, and his fangs receded into his gums. Raven watched at he collapsed on the pebbled beach, clutching at his stomach as if he could still feel the beast there. His gaze was desperate as he looked up at her, trying to understand what just happened. Both their worlds had crumbled and reassembled in just a matter of moments. "Please, Raven… Please, stop me from doing that again."

"Beast Boy…" Raven pressed a hand to her head, fighting the tears that were forming in her eyes. Both his emotions and her own were threatening to break down her resolve. "I _can't_ do this. I can't be your mate… I'm _sorry_. But this is never going to work, we _have _to reverse this."

"I know… I know…" Beast Boy held his head in his hands, gasping for air. "But I don't know how much longer I can keep the beast at bay. It's at the surface every moment, waiting for you… it will not stop until it has dominated you."

"I'm fine." Raven highly doubted herself after that last display, but what could she tell him to calm him down? She very well couldn't tell him that the beast scared the living daylights out of her. He would freak out even more. "I can hold my own against the beast, I'm a big girl and I've dealt with worse problems…. I'm worried about you though… your body can't take much more of this. The beast is so close to hurting you." She put her hand on his shoulder and Beast Boy looked up at her, shaking his head.

"I'm fine." Beast Boy took a slow, shaky breath and let it out slowly. "I promise…" He stood up and looked at Raven, wincing. "I bruised you right here…" He lifted his hand and gently touched the reddish-blue mark next to her lower lip. His eyes searched her for a moment and Raven knew what he was going to do, but had no desire to stop him. Her eyes closed as she felt his warm, velvety tongue on the mark, tracing the shape. His hands slid into her hair, gently massaging the skin he had damaged, desperately trying to make amends.

Raven felt her hip burn with ferocity, and her eyes opened in near pain. "It hurts…"

"What does?" Beast Boy pulled away suddenly, putting space between them.

"Your brand…" Raven touched the mark gingerly, careful not to put pressure on it. "It burns."

"I… I think we need to reverse this soon." Beast Boy put more space between them, rubbing the back of his head. "Before either of us do something we regret."

)O(

_So, this was supposed to be a one-shot… but it would have ended up like 20,000 words and that's just too long for a one-shot. So, I imagine it'll be about four or five chapters. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. Thanks!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Primeval  
**Chapter Two

)O(

Raven lay on her bed that evening, staring at the ceiling and replaying every image of this morning over and over in her mind. What could have prevented this from happening? How could she have protected herself? What could she have done differently? Well… she could have _not_ taunted the beast for starters, her head _still_ hurt from his iron grip. And she could have been more sympathetic to Beast Boy's plight. Even still… would any of that have changed what happened to them? What happened _between_ them? The idea that Beast Boy had _branded_ her so he could _claim _her made Raven sick to her stomach, but there was no undoing the past. She was left with this brand until they could reverse it.

If Beast Boy even let her do that.

"Friend Raven?" Starfire. _Great_. Just what she needed right now. Someone _else _trying to poke around in her personal business. Like Beast Boy and the beast weren't enough, why not add a slightly vacant alien to the mix? That should make everything _loads _better. "You were not at dinner… I have come to do the checking up? Are you in good spirits?"

Raven snorted. Not really, but she couldn't let Starfire know, or the girl would never leave her alone. Goddess bless her for trying to make sure her friends were all friendly to one another, although Raven did want to throttle her for it sometimes. "I'm fine, Star… just not hungry."

"I feel you are trying to cover my face with sheep?"

Raven rolled her eyes. Five years on earth and she still had trouble with colloquialisms. "It's 'pull the wool over your eyes,' Star. And no… I'm _fine_. I'm not lying to you." She heard Starfire shift her weight, planting herself firmly in front of the door. It was a sign that she had no intention of leaving until Raven opened the door and let her in. She growled and threw her arm over her eyes. "I know you're still there, Star. Will you _please_ let it go? I'm _fine_." More shuffling. "Alright! Jeez. Come in."

Her door slid open and Starfire stood at the threshold for a moment before entering the dark space. She moved to the end of Raven's bed, staring down at her. Raven grunted and pulled her arm off of her eyes, pushing herself into a sitting position. "What do you want?"

Starfire blinked, staring down at the dark fabrics on the bed. She knew the rule: no sitting on the bed for "girl talk" unless invited. Her eyes cast an eerie, green light in the room, and it always disturbed Raven a little that her friend was bioluminescent. "I have seen neither you nor Beast Boy all evening… I am concerned that something has happened."

"Don't be." Raven waved her hand and several candles burst into existence, extinguishing the electric glow from Starfire. Raven stared up at her friend, who still refused to move from the end of her bed. Grumbling under her breath, she waived at the empty space by the end of her feet. "Sit down if you must."

Starfire sat down in a jerky, slightly unusual motion. She continued to stare at Raven, her hands folded politely in her lap. Raven rolled her eyes and stood up, pressing her nose close to her friend's. Starfire didn't even blink at her, and Raven pulled away exasperated. "_What_?"

"There is something strange going on between you and Beast Boy, yes?" She cocked her head to the side, flame colored locks spilling over her shoulder. With the soft candlelight playing over the shapes on her face and body she looked like a 1940's centerfold. Raven sometimes really hated that she was so attractive. "You both were very…_ distant_ this morning, and absent all afternoon."

"We… got into an argument." Raven went to her bookcase and pretended to look for something, hopefully that would deter her from talking more. There was silence and Raven looked over her shoulder, eyeing her friend. Starfire continued to stare at her, unblinking. "It's an _argument_, Starfire. They happen, and they happen a lot when you've been living with your friends for five years. So, _please_, let it go."

"He is… anxious? Nervous? I believe Robin called it 'edgy'." Starfire kept her eyes trained on her friend's back, and it felt heavy on Raven's shoulders. She chose not to turn around and look at her, this was _none of her business_, but Starfire just _had _to know everything. She _had _to make sure all her friends were _always _friends. "Beast Boy… he cares about you very much. When you two argue and create distance between yourselves… it is hard for him. He becomes sad and withdrawn."

"Starfire." Raven turned around and walked up to her. "I am asking you as a friend, to _please _keep your nose out of my business. What happened between me and Beast Boy is none of your concern, we will work through it and things will be fine."

"And if you do not work through it?" Starfire cocked her head to the side, eyes narrowing in anger and frustration. Raven returned the expression, but Starfire was unfazed. This was not the first confrontation they'd had, nor would it be the last. "What happens if you are not able to right the wrongs you have created?"

Raven snarled, and a few candles started to burn brighter. "The wrongs _I_ created? What are you talking about?" Was Starfire accusing _her_ of what happened between her and Beast Boy? Like it was Raven's fault that she'd been marked for the beast's mate? Like it was her fault that she had almost _no _romantic feelings for Beast Boy?

"You are always making fun of Beast Boy and teasing him… do not tell me that this _distance_ is not something you created. While I am not accustomed to all of earth's cultural nuances, I am no idiot. I know when things are not what they seem." Starfire stood up, towering over Raven's petite figure. Her height did not frighten Raven, it was the burning green glow in her eyes and the gathering of energy at her fingertips that scared her.

"Starfire, I am _serious_… this is not what you think, and you are stepping into territory you do not understand. So, _please_, leave my room and forget about this conversation." Raven took a few steps back, taking several breaths to calm herself before she did or said something she didn't mean.

"Beast Boy cares for you, Raven! Why do you neglect to see that? Every day he struggles with your demeanor of nonchalance, of sadness and disassociation… and he _tries_ to help, yet you ignore him and all of his own emotions. This is unacceptable."

"I _know!_" Raven screamed and the candles extinguished themselves, leaving Starfire's eerie green glow to illuminate the room. She clutched at her chest, trying to calm down. Her heart had taken to pounding erratically again, and her friend's slightly shocked stare made her realize how close she was to losing herself. Raven took a few more steps away from Starfire, trying to keep space between them. "I _know… _I know… about Beast Boy."

There was a long pause, and the only sound in the room was their breathing. Starfire took a few steps forward to close the space between them, holding out her hand to stop her friend from retreating. Raven cringed as her hand fell on her shoulders, trying to placate her. The air around them stilled, and Starfire finally began to understand what was happening to her. "Raven… what is it that you are not telling me? What is going on between you and Beast Boy?"

"I don't know." Raven looked up at her, shoulders slumped. She pressed a hand to her forehead and looked up into her friend's face, lined which was lined with curiosity and concern. "We… hit a hiccup."

Starfire cocked her head to the side, frowning. "You cannot hit a bubble of air, Raven."

"It's an expression, Star." Raven chewed on her lip for a moment, arguing with herself on whether or not she should tell Starfire the truth. It was not her secret to tell. The beast, and all of its baggage, was Beast Boy's personal burden, and it was not Raven's place to tell everyone what was happening. Nor did she want her own stake in the beast known by them either. Raven reached out and grabbed Starfire's hand, pulling it off her shoulder. "It's not my secret to explain, Starfire. I wish I could… but I can't. Just believe me when I tell you that we will work this out. Everything will be fine." Well, that was what Raven kept telling herself.

"Oh, Raven…" Starfire enveloped her in one of the alien's signature bone-crushing hugs, rubbing her face into Raven's hair. Raven squirmed against the holds and struggled for a few gasps of precious air. Why did she _insist_ on physical contact? Didn't this girl understand how dangerous she was? "I am sorry for my meanness… I did not know what there were other factors in this equation. I do hope that you and Beast Boy work everything out."

"Yeah… me too…" Raven struggled for another breath, and pushed at her friend's steely arms. "Will you please let me go now?"

"Oh! I am sorry, Raven." Starfire released her friend, and stepped back, offering a small, understanding smile. She patted Raven's hand. "I do not know exactly what is going on between you and Beast Boy, but I do hope that the two of you will work through it."

"Yeah, me too." Raven rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. Her head was suddenly killing her. All the touchy-feely bullshit was putting her on edge. She glanced up at Starfire and offered a weak smile. "Can you promise me that this conversation will stay between us? I really don't want the boys knowing that Beast Boy has a… problem." _Problem_ was putting it lightly, but Raven wouldn't tell her that.

"My lips are like moistened envelope paste. I will not tell anyone." Starfire saluted her and started for the door. Her hands pressed against the door for a moment before looking back at Raven, eyebrows knitted together. The air stilled and Starfire turned to face her friend, smile fading. "May I ask a favor of you, Raven?"

Raven swallowed and nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Try not to hurt Beast Boy. While I know that he is not always the easiest person to deal with, he is sensitive, and he cares for you very much. I would hate to see either of you hurt. That is all." Without another word, she opened the door and stepped out of Raven's room. Raven breathed a sigh of relief and slid down her bookcase to the floor, clutching her knees against her body. She sat there, trying not to think and trying not to let her mind wander. It was useless.

Everyone told her to be nice, to not hurt Beast Boy. They told her he cared for her, that he only wanted to be her friend and make her happy, that she should stop picking on him. They were trying to protect him from her, and what she was capable of… but they had no idea that she needed protection from him. From the beast. Irony was a bitch. Raven laid her head on her knees, taking slow, deep breaths.

Her world had been turned upside down in one night by a stupid, prophetic dream. If she had never seen that, she would have never gone seeking out answers she didn't know how to understand. If she never sought Beast Boy, she would have gone on, living happily ignorant. Thinking about the dream made the brand on her hip burn and Raven winced in pain. She stood up, pressing a hand to the mark, trying to ease the burning. What was she going to do? What could she find that had answers? Raven sighed again and turned around to face her books.

There had to be something here, something to give her insight into what had happened. She snorted, really? A book explaining the mating habits of a genetically mutated man who could turn into animals? What a joke. But still… maybe her bestiary. Maybe there was _something _in there that could help her help him. Some small light of hope burned in her chest and she began searching for the aged tome.

The bindings of her books were all tattered, gold leaf flaking off the titles so that they were barely legible. One book was the worst, its spine was completely gone, and several pieces of parchment stuck out at angles, the glue had long since lost its hold. It was on the top shelf, gathering dust. Raven pulled it down and stared at the cover, marred by claw marks. If there was any book that would give her guidance, this would be it. Her bestiary that she had brought from Azarath. It was over two centuries old, and contained information of over a thousand known metaphysical beasts. It was worth a shot anyway.

"Raven?"

Raven nearly dropped the book out of surprise. How many visitors was she going to get tonight? She placed the book on her bed and went to open the door, looking up into the sheepish face of the bane of her existence. She gave a dramatic sigh and slid the door open further, ushering him into her room. "Have you come to talk to me about my behavior too?"

He looked confused for a moment before shaking his head. "No… I just came to sit with you for a little bit, if you don't mind… which I'm sure you do." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away from her curious stare. There was a long pause before he gathered the courage to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, but the beast is upset… anxious, I guess. He…" Beast Boy trailed off and looked away, sighing. "I'm sorry, Rae."

"Is he hurting you?" Raven reached out to touch him, but quickly withdrew her hand, knowing exactly what would happen if she connected with his skin. Their world would burst into an unstoppable conflagration, and things would happen that could never be retracted. The brand on her hip burned again and she took a small step back, trying to keep more space between them. Space was good.

Beast Boy nodded. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. It's not your fault." Raven waved her hand and the candles burst into flame again, extinguishing the darkness. She eyed Beast Boy carefully before moving toward her bed, picking up the book. Beast Boy stood next to the door, waiting patiently to be invited into the inner sanctum. Raven felt a smirk peel across her lips, so he _could_ be taught. That was a nice thought. "You don't have to hover next to the door, Beast Boy… you can come sit on the bed."

He snorted. "Candles and your bed? It's almost like you're trying to set the mood." Raven glared and Beast Boy stepped back, color flooding his face. "Sorry, that was a low joke."

"Very." Raven opened her book and started flitting through pages, looking up only when she felt the bed shift from new weight. She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Beast Boy looked incredibly uncomfortable in her room, as if he wasn't _exactly_ sure what he should do in the silence. He knew full well that he was not allowed to touch anything, or to start conversation unless he was spoken to first. And so he sat there, at the end of her bed, wallowing in the silence.

Raven sighed and closed her book, looking at him. He glanced at her, eyes begging her to talk. Raven smiled slowly, enjoying the way she made him squirm. Finally, she opened up to him. "Yes, Beast Boy?"

"Oh my god, I thought you were never going to talk." He gave an overly dramatic sigh and fell back onto the bed, his legs hanging off the edge of the mattress. Raven rolled her eyes and returned to her book, turning a few pages, looking for a particular beast. Beast Boy shifted and made himself comfortable before turning his face towards her. "What are you reading?"

Raven raised an eyebrow, but didn't look up. "My bestiary."

Beast Boy pushed himself up on his elbows, looking at her. "Bestiary? What for?"

"To see if there are any indications on how to fix… _this_." She motioned to the space between her and Beast Boy. He winced and Raven closed the book, setting it next to her. That was all it took to turn their comfortable silence into a something resembling a rubber band stretched too tight, ready to snap at any moment. They stared at each other for a moment before Raven finally managed to speak, choosing her words carefully. "Beast Boy… you're my teammate, and my friend, but… this can't happen between us."

He sighed, sat up fully, and turned toward her. Forlorn confusion lined his face, and Raven's heart clenched a little at the sight. She didn't want to hurt him, but this couldn't go on or she would end up hurting him even more. "Why not?"

"We've been over this before…" Raven pressed a hand to her forehead and fell back against the headboard, watching him. He stared at her, unblinking, and the severity in his eyes sent shivers running down her spine. "This isn't an option. I can't have this brand forever. I can't be bound to you…" She barked out a shred of humorless laugh. "And you don't want me anyway. Let face it."

His eyes grew dark and he cocked his head to the side, lips turning down into a frown. Raven felt the air tighten around her like a malignant cancer, and she was forced to look away from him. "So, my confession meant nothing to you then? You still think that I don't want you?"

"I…" Raven ran a hand through her hair and glanced back at him, chewing on her lower lip. Damnit, now she was treading dangerous waters. If she told him that his confession didn't mean anything to her, he could get angry and volatile, and Raven would end up creating not only a rift between them, but one between the team as well. She returned her stare to the book, pretending nonchalance. "That's not it, and you know that."

"Mm." Beast Boy said nothing more and laid back down, hands behind his head. He let the silence hang between them before mumbling a response. "Okay."

Silence folded around them and Raven buried herself in the book on her lap, trying to escape the emotions left from their conversation. She felt time pass, before looking over the top of her book at her friend. Beast Boy had fallen asleep, curled up in a ball at the end of her bed, head resting on his folded arms. His chest moved up and down in a steady, unhurried rhythm. Raven growled and rolled her eyes. Stupid boy. Raven prodded him with her toes, but he didn't even flinch. Figures. Sighing audibly, she returned to her book, occasionally looking over the edge of the pages to make sure he was still sleeping.

Her heart flipped a little at the sight of him in her room, on her things, in her life. The brand on her stomach burned and she rolled her eyes, turning back to the solitude of her book. The last thing she needed was her reason to be clouded by some primordial hormones. Beast Boy was her friend and her teammate… but a boyfriend? A lover? A _mate_? All those things she couldn't see in him, no matter how hard she tried. He was childish, a prankster, too wrapped up in his own self to realize the world around him sometimes. But then again… he was a good friend, he _occasionally _had rather profound insights into the world, and had even minutely matured over the past year. But did that really change everything? Did it even change anything? He was still _Beast Boy_, and every time she got close to him, her body burned, and she hated it.

Raven sighed, and turned the pages of her bestiary, eyes following a particularly interesting paragraph. Minutes passed and she felt the bed suddenly shift. "Awake then?" Raven turned the page, not bothering to look up. There was the sound of clothes moving, and Raven sighed, looking up. Her stomach dropped, and the book fell from her hands, crumpling on the floor. Beast Boy stood at the end of her bed completely naked. This was taking her invitation just a little too far.

"Beast Boy! What in the world are you doing! Put your damn clothes back on!" She moved to force him towards the door, but his hand grasped her wrist, claws digging into the red welts he made previously that day. Raven stared up into his face, and her heart started pounding violently. His eyes were closed, but she could still feel his stare, following her, boring into her. This wasn't Beast Boy... it was _him_.

A slow, smile peeled across his lips and he sniffed the air. "Ah... you've figured it out then?"

"What have you done with Beast Boy?" Raven glared at him, but he just smirked in response.

"He's fine. No need to worry about _him._"

Raven caught the inflection, and she had to fight down the sudden burst of fear that was threatening to choke her. "What do you want with me?" She tugged at her wrist, desperately trying not to let her eyes wander over Beast Boy's rather _un-boyish_ figure, as he stood there, _naked_. What was she supposed to do? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling malice pour off his body, filtering into her. This _thing _was not Beast Boy, but he had taken control of his body, and she needed to remember that, or she would end up hurting him.

"I thought it was time _I_ had a talk with you… clearly my host is not doing what needs to be done."

"A talk with me?" Raven growled, and her fingers twitched in anger, but she made no movement to defend herself or injure him. The beast _knew _Raven wouldn't hurt him, because that would, in turn, hurt Beast Boy, and the beast was using this knowledge to his advantage. "What could we _possibly_ have to talk about?"

"A whole plethora of things…" His lips turned up in some semblance of a smirk. "Like why you're taking too long." The beast tugged at her wrist, pulling her off the bed as his claws dug into her skin. Raven's eyes flew open and she glared and the low chuckle he gave. He pulled her a little closer, sneering into her face. "I am getting restless... I am tired of waiting... it is time for me to take a mate, and this shameless _flirting_ is disgusting. Useless. It does nothing but make my host upset and angry… and he is annoying when he is angry."

"You can't _make_ me be with you." Raven fought off a curse as his eyebrow lifted in mild amusement. He was toying with her, trying to make her admit to something she neither wanted nor believed in. Raven tugged at her arm again, desperately trying not to scream. "I don't _want_ this!"

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, eyes still closed. There was a pause, hanging like a guillotine blade, waiting to drop. The beast cocked his head to the side, watching her from behind his lids, and then he _laughed_. Deep, uproarious laughter boiled to the surface, as if he found this whole spectacle amusing. "Want? This has nothing to do with _want_. It's a reaction. Hormone to hormone, something so primordial that even you, _demon_, have no way of extracting it from your being. You are healthy, ovulating, I suppose you are attractive… to a human, but your hips..." The beast ran a hand down her side, smirking. "Perfect for birthing a child."

Raven snarled at him, snapping her teeth. How _dare_ this thing touch her like that? And how _dare_ he go parading around in Beast Boy's body, pretending to be something this _beast _was not? "Leave me alone! Why don't you find someone else to disgust?" That was a foolish thought. She wouldn't wish this pain on anyone.

The beast gave a low growl, releasing her wrist. He started to pace around her, circling in as a lion would do to wounded prey. His eyes were still closed, but he watched every twitch of her muscles carefully, examining her. "Believe me, _demon_, I would if I could... but I am _trapped_ inside this useless shell, forced to let him act for me. Forced to watch as he decides our fate for us. And for whatever, _foolish_ reason… he wants you. He wants this silly, useless girl…"

"Then choose another. Leave me alone." Raven felt something in her stomach drop at that thought. Would she really be able to see another person in the arms of Beast Boy? Even though she didn't want this, did she really want someone else to be part of his life? She wasn't sure what the exact answer would be, but weren't her dealings with Terra proof enough of her feelings? She pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to keep her emotions at bay. This was bad, so very, very bad.

"Believe me, I would if I could. But this _body _prefers you, and I would rather claim a lesser being and have my host happy, than have him whine over a better candidate who is not... you." Raven could feel the warmth of his body and indication of his arousal as he pressed close to her back. She cringed as his breath slid down her neck, the brand burning in response. "You should be honored that someone as strong as me could be interested in something as weak and pitiful as you."

Raven snarled and whipped around to face him. A smirk spread across his lips, but that didn't deter her. "I am _not_ weak. You are a bully, a beast, nothing more than a sole, lone animal who has no other choice than to take a mate to carry on his legacy. I don't _need _you, you _need _me." Raven pressed her face close to his, staring into his closed eyes. "Without me you would fade into nothingness. So, tell me then, who is the pitiful one?"

"Without you I _would_ fade into nothingness… but without me, you would still be nothing more than a portal. A useless demon seed." The beast leaned down, his lips close to Raven's. "However, I must ask you, are you accepting the position?" A hand moved down her side, stroking the mark under her uniform. It burned to life, heating her skin to boiling.

"Like hell." Raven moved to push him off her, but the beast just smiled. His hand tightened on her hip, claws ripping through the neoprene, and slashing into her skin. There was a moment of initial shock, where the world seemed to jerk and slow, and then the pain came. It poured into Raven's body like hot acid, and she was forced to cling to the beast, looking up into his closed eyes. Wickedness seemed to be the only emotion the beast possessed, and he flashed her a fanged smile in response to her suffering.

"We'll see..." He stepped back and let her crumple to the floor, staring disapprovingly. Raven cursed up at him, clutching her wound and trying to stop the blood flow. The beast dropped to a squat next to her body, pressing fingers into her blood and tracing the shape of the brand. He stared at the thick crimson before bringing it to his lips to taste the pungent, metallic flavor. "If you think the brand was a curse before..." His eyes opened and Raven gasped into a sitting position on her bed. The book tumbled to the floor from her chest, crumpling the pages. Again?

Raven pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to sort reality from dream. What just _happened_? Had it been just a dream? It seemed so real and so… She lost the thought, and her hands pressed to either side of her head, fighting for sanity. She looked up into her room, only a few candles still burned and they cast strange, flickering light over the items in her room.

Beast Boy was standing, fully clothed thank the goddess, next to her door. His hair was disheveled and his face was soft shade of red, as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep. He froze and stared at her, eyebrows knitted together as he took a few steps toward her. "Are you okay?"

"I… had a bad dream." Raven pulled off a throw that had been carefully placed around her. Beast Boy moved to be next to her, leaning down to look into her eyes. He pushed a few bangs out of her face and stared into her eyes, as if searching for something. Raven felt her face turn bright red, but she was unable to pull away from him. Swallowing hard, she twisted her face into something she hoped resembled annoyance and pushed at his shoulder. "Get off. It's just a bad dream. I must have fallen asleep after you did."

"Mm." Beast Boy sighed and stood up, shaking his head. He started for the door, hands shoved in his pockets. His head was ducked low, like a dog when it had been scolded. Raven winced at his expression, but made no move to apologize, that would open the wrong kind of doors. Beast Boy paused at the end of her bed and turned to face her. "You know, maybe you shouldn't refuse my help all the time… I'm not completely useless, you know."

Raven raised an eyebrow and watched him move toward her door. "I never said you were."

He barked out a shred of humorless laughter. "You didn't have to." He pushed open the door and raised a hand in some half-hearted attempt at a wave. "I'll see you tomorrow, Raven."

There it was again, her full name. Raven let her eyes close against the pain it caused, and when she opened them, he was gone. She let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding, her head falling against the headboard. How did this always happen? Every time of she tried to protect him, she ended up hurting him instead. But then again, how could she protect him against the monster that lived inside him? That beast that attacked her… Raven looked down at her wrists, seeing the welts from Beast Boy's claws, but she was unsure if they were from this morning or… She shook her head and rubbed her arm. Was it _just _a dream, and nothing more?

Raven moved her hand down to the brand, and her fingers connected with something wet and sticky. Pain feathered through her body, brushing against her nerves until she winced audibly. What _was_ that? Raven pulled her fingers away from the brand and stared at thick crimson covering her whole hand. She was bleeding? Unzipping her pristine uniform, she undressed gingerly, careful not to jar her right hip. Blood smeared her skin, filling the air with the thick scent of metal and musk. Raven tried not to scream.

If it _had_ been a dream, the deeper, larger brand on her hip suggested otherwise.

)O(

_Please, feel free to review and let me know what you think, what needs to be changed, etcetera.  
Thank you!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Primeval  
**Chapter Three

)O(

Raven drifted in and out of sleep that night. She lay in her bed, pressing a bandage to her still bleeding brand, and staring at the shadows that slithered along her walls. Her body seemed to vibrate with some unknown energy, and she couldn't rest her mind for even a moment. But the darkness wove into her dreams and consciousness until she was unable to separate the realities.

No matter the situation, one thing was for certain, the beast had shown himself to Raven and proved two very important things. One, that the beast would stop at _nothing _to claim Raven, he would even stoop to forcing her submission. And two, that there was indeed some kind of connection between her and Beast Boy, much to Raven's surprise.

That was the most frightening revelation of all. She had been frightened for her friend, worried for his safety and sanity, but most of all, she'd been jealous when the beast suggested another mate. A primeval anger and feeling of possession welled up inside of her, and Raven would be damned if someone else touched Beast Boy. She'd fight to the death before another woman even _looked _at him. The brand burned in agreement, shaking Raven from her thoughts.

She sighed and sat up in her bed, watching the morning sun rise above the water. How had this happened? How had she suddenly moved from wanting to murder Beast Boy to just _wanting _him? Or to being _jealous_? Over the one person who knew how to drive her insane? This was terrible. This relationship was unstable and could explode at any moment, shattering everything that Raven understood to be solid and normal in her life. If she looked closely, there were already cracks in the façade, imperfections waiting to flake off.

What had happened to them?

Raven sat there, staring out her window and watching the shadows in the bay shrink as the sun rose slowly. The world was covered in thick, gray mist as if nature was morphing its self to reflect her emotions. Unsettled and confused. Sighing again, she stood up, still careful not to jar her wound, and dressed for the day. The tower was eerily quiet that morning, not even Robin's god-awful workout music could be heard echoing through the halls. The living room was quiet as well, no yelling insults as they fought each other in videogames, no television… just silence.

The doors slid open, revealing Beast Boy sitting at the dining table in the living room, head down. Raven felt her stomach turn over. She knew she was going to have to encounter him, after all it was his home too, but did it have to be so soon? Couldn't fate just let her have a few moments to herself? Or at least with someone mildly sane, like Cyborg?

Speaking of which…

"Where is everyone?"

Beast Boy glanced up from something he was reading on the table, it looked like some kind of Japanese comic. He locked eyes with her, and for a moment his eyes grazed her face with excitement. But, it didn't last long, and his face fell slightly as he returned to the pages in front of him. "Out." There was a long, waiting pause before he started speaking again. "Cyborg is out picking up parts for the T-car, and Star and Rob are doing some children's hospital benefit thing. Remember, the demoness and the freaky animal-man weren't invited?"

"Oh. That's right, I forgot that was today." She offered an awkward, half-hearted laugh, knowing full well that it would do nothing to ease the tension between them. "Aliens, Kung-Fu masters, and Robots are okay… but we're not."

"Right." He turned another page of his comic book, still not looking at her.

Raven heaved out a deep sigh and moved to sit across from him. Seconds ticked by before she felt his eyes turn toward her briefly, but he returned his gaze to the book and didn't look up again. He just stared at the pages in front of him, avoiding all contact with her. Raven fought back a curse, and she crossed her arms over her chest. This was silly and childish, and he knew that, yet he kept playing this game. Kept trying to both build and destroy whatever it was between them.

Raven groaned and wallowed in the silence for a few more moments until it grew too thick to tolerate. "Can I talk to you?"

He turned another page, fingers tapping on the melamine table. It was a sign he was fighting something inside him, and Raven could only speculate as to what it was. It could have been his anger, or it could have been the beast. He would never tell her though, at least not with this tension between them. Beast Boy finally looked up at her, eyes flashing through his unkempt hair. "Well, that's what we're doing, right? _Talking_?"

Raven growled low in her throat and glared. "Not exactly."

"Hm. Funny, I didn't realize you were in a 'talking' kind of mood." He closed the comic and leaned back in his chair, staring at her. Raven could feel his anger and frustration brush against her, and it only irritated her more. What did he have to be angry about? _He_ hadn't been claimed against his will to be a breeding whore. "So, Raven, what do you _want _to talk about? I mean, there are a million things we could discuss right now. Like how you invaded my dreams? Poked around in my privacy? And, _oh_, let's not forget the general disregard you have for my feelings."

_That_ was uncalled for and unnecessary. "That's not it!" Raven slammed her palms on the table and stood up, chair toppling behind her with the force of her movement. Beast Boy's eyes widened as he watched her mouth move, screaming at him. "Stop acting like you're the only one who has a stake in this, _Garfield_. You act as though this is some mortal sin because I _can't _return your feelings. You keep blabbering on about your own _stupid_ feelings that you never stop to think about mine!"

There was a shadow of fear that crossed his eyes before Beast Boy stood up, matching her glare, arms shaking. Raven pulled away slightly, shocked by the brazen display. His lips turned up in the beginnings of a snarl and he growled. Never had she seen him like this, angry and volatile, ready to snap at a moment's notice. The beast was wreaking more havoc on him than he let on, and it was threatening to destroy him. "And what feelings would _those_ be? Disgust?"

"You're so, stupid!" Raven snatched up his comic and threw it at him, hissing breath between her teeth. "Do you ever once stop and think about anyone other than yourself? Any other feelings besides your own? It's not that I don't _want_ to return your feelings, I simply _can't_."

The world seemed the halt beneath her feet as those words tumbled out of Raven's mouth. Beast Boy stared at her, eyebrows knitting together. "What do you mean you _can't_? And what do you mean that it's not that you don't _want_ to return my feelings?"

"I…" Raven's hand moved to clutch her heart, and she took a step back. Why had she _said _that? Did she even have feelings for him that were her own? Or were they all just part of the brand? Just some sort of weird metaphysical side-effect? She shook her head and threw up her emotional barriers. Pretending indifference was the safest escape route. "I'm not having that discussion with you."

"Ugh!" Beast Boy threw up his hands and screamed. The sound made Raven feel as if her insides were being torn out, and she was forced to look away. He snarled at her, hands shaking out of anger. "You _always_ do this to me, _Raven_. Every time we try to work through our bizarre… _relationship_, or whatever you want to call _this_, every time I try to make amends and fix our problems, you shut me out. You never let me try and explain myself or apologize."

"Screaming at me and accusing me of hating you isn't exactly what I would deem as 'working through our problems'." Raven puffed out a breath of irritated air and rolled her eyes. "You never let me work things out by myself, Beast Boy. I don't always need a shoulder to cry on, sometimes I just need to be by myself."

"You're always by yourself, Raven." He shook his head and barked out a shred of humorless laughter. "You never let _anyone _help you. I didn't know why I expected things to be any different than usual."

"Why did you think that suddenly everything was going to be different between us? Because you've marked me? Branded me like some kind of cattle ready for breeding?" Raven winced. That was a little over the line, and Beast Boy's pained expression was proof of her callousness.

"Yes. No. I don't know… I hoped maybe you could at least commiserate with me." He sighed and closed his eyes, avoiding eye contact with her. "And stop comparing me to some kind of stud animal. It's not like I have a harem of women to breed with, Raven. You're it. Even if we were to… _reverse _this, I could never claim another woman."

It took a full minute for that to sink in, and Raven felt her lungs seize. "Never?" Even if Raven was released from this bond, Beast Boy would be forced to love her forever? Forced to pine after something he could never have? The thought made her finally understand exactly what it was that Beast Boy was dealing with, and what kind of curse he would have to bear for the rest of his life.

He shook his head, still staring at the carpet beneath his feet. Silence filled the space between them, and he shuffled awkwardly. "Never. I had one choice, and the beast made it for me. Even if I fell in love with another woman, my body would still be bound to you and it would not react to her."

The image of Beast Boy laughing, joking, kissing, loving and enjoying another woman's company made Raven want to seriously destroy something. Behind her she heard the walls flex and groan with the force of her emotions. Raven clenched her fists under her cloak and forced herself to calm down before something really _was _destroyed. Why did she react like this? One minute she was ready to throttle him, the next minute she didn't want to share him. Couldn't her body just make a decision already? "How do you know that?"

"How do you know that you have the birthmark?" He looked at her with sad eyes before he moved to stare out the window. Raven moved to follow him, but something held her back. He glanced over his shoulder at her, sighing. "You just _do_. You don't need to have a prophecy or instructions written to know things about yourself. Especially when it comes to permanent things like being a portal for a demon lord. Or something as trivial as a mate." There was a long, heavy pause as he looked back toward the bay. "I really am sorry for this whole mess, Raven."

"I know… but I can't…" Raven hissed in pain and her body doubled over, reacting to the burning fire that ripped through her brand. She could feel the wound fighting against her healing powers, as if it _wanted _to keep bleeding, as if it wanted to keep reminding Raven of what was going to happen to her. And Raven had the sinking feeling that the primitive biological nature of Beast Boy was winning over her powers.

"Raven… what's wrong?" Beast Boy rushed to her side, his hands barely hovering over her skin.

Raven waved him off, growling. "I'm fine."

He glared at her, lips tugging down in a frown. His fingers slid over her back in some awkward attempt at comfort, but it only made her wound burn even more. Raven pushed his hand off her and glared. Beast Boy hissed an angry, frustrated breath between his lips and backed away slightly, giving her space to breathe. "No, you're _not_ okay. You're in pain… and it's my fault."

"Yeah well… what else is new?" Raven flashed him a shaky smile before she managed to bring herself upright again. Pain still webbed through her body, but it was tolerable, or that was what she kept telling herself. Beast Boy was still staring at her, shaking his head and frowning. That was _just _what she needed, to be chastised by Beast Boy of all people. Raven rolled her eyes and moved to sit down on the sofa. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what? Like I'm _concerned _for you?" He sat next to her, his eyes steady on her face.

Raven shifted again, still uncomfortable with the way he kept staring at her. "Like I'm some kind of pathetic invalid."

"Well… there are times…" He offered some kind of broken smile, an indication that under all this seriousness there was a glimmer of who Beast Boy _truly _was. That almost calmed her. _Almost. _He reached over and touched her hand, looking into her eyes. "I am serious, Raven… I don't like to see you like this."

"Well, that's good news. I'd be worried if you _enjoyed _seeing me in agony." She offered him a lopsided smile and chuckled, the tension finally broken between them. Or at least it was pushed back into the shadows for the time being. They would deal with it later.

He returned her smile, and the tips of his fangs peeked out. "Well, _agony_, no. But sometimes I feel you could do with a good spanking."

Of all the things he could say... Raven's smile fell as she pursed her lips and stared. "The thought is mutual."

"Hey." Beast Boy held up his hands in mock defense. "Don't threaten me with a good time."

She rolled her eyes and leaned back into the couch, her hand still over the throbbing wound. "You're impossible." She sighed and stared up at the ceiling, trying to will her hip to heal. It did nothing but burn in response, still fighting her powers. Raven growled low in her throat and cursed. "I can't stand this."

"What is it?" Beast Boy leaned over her, hand outstretched as if he were going to touch her. Raven felt her skin both seize and burn at the thought of contact with him, as if her body was both excited and scared by the action. "Raven… there's something else going on, isn't there?"

"No." She turned her face away from him, knowing that he would figure out she was lying. He had always been good at deciphering her, and that skill had led to too many fights.

"I really hate it when you do this to me. All I want to do it help."

Raven felt his body heat press close to her, but she refused to look over at him, that would be asking for trouble. Awkward silence filled the space between them as his fingertips stroked her abdomen through her uniform. Raven felt her heart jump into her throat, and her limbs shook with the strength of both their emotions. Why did he do this to her? Why did he have to torture her like this? Slowly, he slid his hand slid under the one resting on her hip. Raven bit back a noise of pain as needles stabbed at her body. "Stop… you're hurting me."

He pulled his hand away and stared at the crimson staining his palm. "You're bleeding." The tone was accusing and Raven looked over at him. He looked furious, angry with both himself and her. "Why didn't you tell me it had gotten worse?"

"I thought you knew." Raven pulled away from him and forced herself to stand up, ignoring the way her body protested with the movement. "I thought…" She sighed and pressed a hand to her head. Well, that answered _that_ question. Clearly Beast Boy had no recollection of what had transpired in her room last night, which meant a plethora of things Raven couldn't understand. "Never mind."

"What do you mean… I knew what?" He frowned and stared at her. "I feel like you're only telling me half the story, Raven. What in the hell _happened_? And why are you staring at me like I should _know _something I clearly don't."

"I…" Raven was interrupted by a blaring alarm. She sent a prayer of thanks to the goddess, at least this bought her some time to figure out how to avoid him and the situation some more. She walked to the computer and stared at the screen, pretending not to notice Beast Boy's death stare. "Call. In the suburbs. Looks like Plasmus again. Come on, we better get going."

"_We_? There is no way I'm letting you leave until you tell me what the hell is going on." He moved to block her path to the exit. His eyes were green fire, and Raven took a few cautious steps back. "I'm serious, Raven. This whole _mystery woman _thing is getting _really _annoying. You're bleeding from your hip and you're not telling me what happened and why I should know about it."

"Later." She sighed and waved him off. There was nothing to do now but give in and tell him the truth. _That _ought to be an interesting conversation. "Later. I promise." His eyes narrowed. "_I promise_. Jeez. Look, we have a very dangerous monster wreaking havoc all over the north suburb. If you don't mind, can we _please _take care of him first?"

"_Fine_. But we better have that conversation later, or I will be tempted to _seriously _spank you. And that is a promise." Beast Boy moved to the door and Raven followed, rolling her eyes. There was no doubt in her mind that this was going to be a very interesting battle.

"Raven! Look out!" Beast Boy yelled at her and she ducked some toxic goo, careening toward her. It landed further down the street, disintegrating some poor kid's bicycle. She breathed a sigh of relief and cursed into her communicator. She really hated trying to talk to Robin on the communicator when things were being thrown at her and she was running for her life.

"I'm sorry about the hold-up. But, we're leaving now, Rae."

Raven ducked behind a garage for a moment's reprieve. Robin's face held concern, and she rolled her eyes. "It's just Plasmus, nothing worth worrying about. We've got most of it covered, but come when you get the chance."

"Star and I are on our way. We'll be there in ten."

"Thanks." Raven snapped her communicator shut and stared at the green tyrannosaurus-rex that was battling Plasmus. He hissed and spitted and snarled up at the giant creature, but Beast Boy just roared back down. Raven looked around at the quaint little ranch houses, and some of them were starting to show signs of the battle. Hopefully most of them were empty, but she knew better than to assume. Raven would hate to see someone get injured because Plasmus had never been really _bright _in choosing battle locations.

Plasmus threw another pile of goo at Beast Boy, hitting him square in the chest. He roared again and charged the monster, teeth bared. Ignoring the pain from her brand, which was still bleeding through her uniform, Raven raced alongside the dinosaur. Her mind was trying to carefully plan out their attack, without hurting any civilians in the process. A_ suburb_? Why did he have to attack a _suburb_? Raven growled and threw a car at him, but his goo disintegrated the metal before it even made contact.

Raven cursed loudly. Either Plasmus was getting stronger or Raven was losing her touch. She tried another car, but he stopped it again. Raven snarled, and in her frustration lobbed a rock at his face. Plasmus didn't even flinch.

Beast Boy returned to his normal form, frowning. His uniform was singed in a few places, but appeared relatively unharmed. That was good. He ran around Plasmus, avoiding being attacked. "Am I imagining things or is he tougher than normal?"

"I'm getting the same feeling…" Raven growled and rolled to the left to avoid another ball of goo, it hissed and spitted along the pavement behind her. "The others will be here any second, but I don't think we can hold him off much longer without there being collateral damage. He's too close to people. We're going to need to _stop _him."

"I know…" Beast Boy looked over at her and shrugged. "Any ideas that don't involve cars?"

"One. But it'll drain me completely and you know how I feel about that." Raven attempted another car, and seriously hoped that the owner had insurance. It was gone in an instant.

"Well, it would be awesome if we didn't kill anyone today… so if you could at least _try…_" Beast Boy ducked another attack and rolled to the side.

"_Fine. _I'll give it a shot, but it's going to be messy if it works." Raven flew above Plasmus and took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. It was some feat, considering she was being attacked by a monster that could probably disintegrate her a three seconds flat.

She closed her eyes and reached inside herself for the source of her powers. Moments passed, and she could hear the roar of the battle around her and the energy already draining from her body. Raven tugged hard, and she separated her soul-self from her body. Gathering all of her energies, she launched her soul-self into Plasmus.

Raven collapsed onto the pavement and stared at her opponent. There was a moment of eerie calm as he stumbled and grasped at his chest, his motions stilled, and then he exploded into a million droplets of harmless green snot. Raven nearly gagged as it landed on her. The smell was putrid. "That… is disgusting." The skies opened up and rain poured down on her, soaking her body to the bone. She didn't even have enough energy to throw up a barrier. "And that is even worse."

"Hey… at least we got him." Beast Boy nudged the harmless, sleeping human with his boot. He just kept on snoring, oblivious to the world around him. "JCPD will be here in a few to pick him up and take him back to the penitentiary." He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I swear he's getting out every three weeks now, and we're left cleaning up his mess."

"Yeah…"

Beast Boy walked over to Raven and crouched down next to her body, which was in an undignified, wet heap in the middle of the street. He ran his fingers along her face before gathering her body into his arms. "Are you going to be okay, Rae? You know you didn't have to do that."

Raven felt the corners of her mouth tug upward at the sound of her nickname. "Yes I did. And stop worrying, I'm fine. That attack always leaves me like this for a while. I'll be back to normal in a few hours." She stared up into his concerned face and shook her head. "Stop looking at me like I'm going to die. I'm just tired."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the screech of tires on asphalt. Raven and Beast Boy looked up at their teammates. She offered a weak wave and smiled up at them. "Took you guys long enough. How was traffic?"

"Ha ha." Robin pulled off his helmet and approached them, a smirk on his lips. "I'm going to assume you're not mortally wounded if you're making jokes."

"Something like that." Raven pushed Beast Boy off of her and stood up, still shaky on her feet. She waved off Robin's concerned stare. "I'm fine. I just ripped him apart with my soul-self, and you know what that does to me."

"Yeah, we know." Cyborg nudged Beast Boy out of the way and started examining Raven. "You're gonna get yourself in trouble one day, and what will happen if we're not here to pick up the pieces?"

"The world will end." Raven pushed Cyborg off of her, offering a smile. "Stop treating me like I need medical attention. I just need to sleep."

"Oh! I can make you some traditional-"

"No, Star… I'm _fine_. Jeez." Somewhere at the base of her scull she could feel a buzzing, like emotions were being gathered and manipulated around her. She turned and looked over her shoulder at Beast Boy, whose face was blank and unreadable. Her heart dropped into her stomach as she finally understood what was happening, and she was helpless to stop it.

"Well, at least everyone's all right." Robin moved to give Raven a friendly hug, and that's when everything seemed to turn upside down. The instant his arms went around her shoulders, Beast Boy reacted. He shoved at Robin's chest and forced space between them.

"Get off her!" He turned and glared at Cyborg. "You too, back up!"

"Beast Boy… stop." Raven's face erupted in varying shades of red as she stared at Beast Boy. His chest was heaving and his limbs were shaking. He looked almost _wild_.

"Beast Boy…" Robin stared at his friend. "Is everything… okay?"

"Don't touch her." He snarled at his leader. "I'm serious."

"Beast Boy…" Robin kept his voice pitched low and soft, as if he were talking to a child throwing a temper tantrum. "Raven is my friend… I just wanted to thank her. See…" He moved to touch Raven again, but Beast Boy stopped him by flashing his claws and fangs.

"Keep your hands off of her! She's mine!"

"Beast Boy!" Raven turned and glared at him. "Shut up!"

"I…" The green fire in his eyes disappeared, and there was nothing more than a frightened hero standing between them. Silence threaded between them, and the only sound was Beast Boy's ragged breathing and the splatter of rain on asphalt. His eyes suddenly got very wide, and he stepped back, shame and fear lining his face. "I…" His gaze darted between Raven's very angry glare and their teammates' curious and concerned stares. "I'm sorry!" Without another word he transformed into a hawk and disappeared into the storm.

Raven pressed a hand to her head, frowning. "I am going to kill him. I swear."

"What was _that _about?"

"Don't even ask…" Raven waved Cyborg off, barely able to look him into the eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. Raven pretended not to notice. "I'm going to go after him. Goddess only knows what he's thinking. We'll be back later. Promise."

Robin shook his head, mouth open to inquire about the display. Raven just glared and he kept quiet. "Alright. I trust you… We'll wait till JCPD gets here to pick up Plasmus."

"Thanks." Raven gave a halfhearted wave and started toward the wooded hills. With any luck she would know exactly where Beast Boy was, but maybe finding him wasn't the best choice.

)O(

_I have been fighting with this chapter for a month. I am torn between thinking it is fine, and thinking it needs to be scrapped. There was supposed to be a third scene, but it would have made the chapter a bit too long. Anyway, I am sorry if this doesn't live up to the rest of the story. I promise the next chapter is much better. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Primeval  
**Chapter Four

)O(

Raven stared up at the rickety forest ranger tower, biting back expletives that would have made a sailor blush. Four stories up there was an old observation deck that had once been used as a look out for forest fires, but the rangers rarely used this tower anymore and it often sat empty for months.

Beast Boy had taken Raven there nearly two years ago after they first lost Terra. They had sat there is silence, never quite handling the emotions but never wishing them away. It was one of the first times that Raven realized what kind of friend she was to Beast Boy, and this tower had been a place of solace for him ever since. If she knew anything about him, he would be there, brooding over _whatever _had happened earlier.

Mumbling more curses under her breath, she trudged up the spongy, waterlogged stairs to the small shelter at the top. She had already walked three miles in the rain and into this stupid forest looking for him, now she had to _climb _up four flights of stairs to see him? He had better be up there, or Raven would have just cause to murder him.

"I can't believe you made me _hike_ through three miles of rain and forest to find you!"

There was a clattering above her, as if she'd startled someone. She heard Beast Boy's quiet curse before his head popped over the edge of the railing, staring down at her. His face was a mixture of relief, sadness, anger, and frustration, and Raven wasn't sure which emotion bothered her the most. She bit back a rude comment and continued to stare up at him until this heavy silence was broken.

"What are you doing here?" He glared down at her, but Raven knew better than to be upset or worried. He just wanted to be alone, but she wouldn't give that to him. At least not until she had some answers.

"I came looking for you." Raven paused to catch her breath and return his glare. Of course he would be fighting her. He could never make her life easy. "After… whatever that was in front of our friends, I figured you probably needed some company… or at the very least, someone to talk to."

"Well, I don't." Beast Boy frowned and turned away from her, sulking into the shadows.

Raven sighed and started up the stairs again. "Well, then I came looking for answers. Does that make you feel any better?"

"No. It doesn't." Raven heard the sound of him walking across the aged floorboards, trying to avoid her. "You didn't have to come after me, okay? I would've come back to the tower eventually, and you could have gotten your answers then."

"Yes. I know." Raven reached the observation deck and stared at him, standing in the corner, wet and battle scarred. His face was hidden in the shadows and he was completely unreadable. Something about his presence both frightened and saddened her. He shouldn't have to be like this, fighting for scraps of sanity in this uncontrollable situation. Then again, Raven shouldn't have had to be the one fighting for her freedom either.

Raven sighed and peeled off her soaking wet cloak, throwing it on a relatively dry portion of the floor. She tried to meet his eyes, but couldn't find them in the darkness. "I couldn't just _leave_ you."

"Hmph." Beast Boy turned away from her and stared out at the rolling hills, Jump city shining in the distance. "You wouldn't have been leaving me. You would have been leaving the beast." His voice was filled with poison aimed at himself. He hated what he was, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Raven could understand _exactly _what was going on inside him, but her understanding did nothing to ease his pain.

She sighed and approached him carefully, wary of who or _what _he might be. "Gar…"

Beast Boy turned to face her, his head was cocked to the side as his eyes searched her face. "You never call me that."

Raven shrugged and moved to stand next to him, staring out at the forest. The world below her was _so green, _like something out of a stock photo. If Beast Boy stood perfectly still, he would have faded into the world around him. Raven glanced over at him, frowning. "Do you not want me to?"

"No… I like it." He returned to stare at the city in the distance, still frowning. "I just never hear you call anyone nicknames… except for Star… and she doesn't could because she's Star."

Raven just shrugged in response and leaned against the railing next to him. The silence was heavy, and she wanted it to both last and disappear. Anything to dissolve the awkwardness between them. Why _had _she followed him all the way out here? To console him? Or had she come out here to yell and demand answers for that stupid, embarrassing display in front of all of their friends? Raven sighed and stared up at the dilapidated tin roof.

"He didn't like it."

Raven turned and looked at Beast Boy, her heart nearly stopping. "The beast?"

"Mm."

"What didn't he like?" Raven held her breath as silence wove between them again, stringing them together and pushing them apart. Anticipation spread through her as she waited for him to explain.

"Everything." Beast Boy finally turned and faced her, his eyes red-rimmed with frustration. "Robin _touched _you. Another male made contact with you and he just _reacted_. He wanted nothing more than to disembowel Robin and show him and everyone else that you were mine. It was just about possession, about marking its territory." Beast Boy stared down at his hands, which were shaking violently. "He was so angry and so cruel. It was like this tidal wave of hate and animosity, and I couldn't contain anything inside of me. This _thing _just wanted out to prove that you were an _object._"

Raven reached out to touch him, but he flinched under the contact and she was forced to pull away. He was frightened by her? He hadn't been frightened once in all the time they'd been _dealing _with this situation. Not when she was screaming at him, not when she was lecturing him, not when she told him she didn't want this brand, but _now_, when all she wanted to do was comfort him, he didn't want anything to do with her. A strange, black pain struck her chest and Raven turned away.

"I don't know or understand this, and I hate it… and myself." Beast Boy's head fell into his hands and he groaned. "I hate not having the strength to control this _thing _inside of me. It disgusts me. It's this debilitating disease."

Raven's grip tightened on the wood as she watched him from the corner of her eye. His words hit unusually close to the soft, wounded part of her own soul. "I know. Trust me, if there's anything you and I can understand about each other, _that _is one of them… And, I know it feels like you'll never be able to understand and contain whatever it is inside of you… but you will. You'll be able to conquer this and come out just fine in the end."

Beast Boy gave a snort of incredulity and he stared at her, frowning. "How to you know?"

"Because you're strong." Raven smiled slightly and placed her hand on his shoulder. This time he managed to stay still under her touch, and there was something comforting in being able to console him. "You've beaten this before, Gar. You can do it again. I have faith in you."

The corner of his lips turned up and he shook his head. "Raven… you're a great friend, and I'm glad you came out here for me, but your pep-talks kind of suck."

"Thanks for the support." Raven rolled her eyes and her arm fell to her side, the tension broken between them. For a moment, things returned to normal. They both stood in silence, staring at the downpour flooding the gullies and valleys below them. Raven groaned, she sure as hell wasn't walking back in all of this. She'd already walked all the way out here in the mess. "How long do you think we have until the rain stops?"

Beast Boy shrugged and looked over at her. "No idea. I didn't even know there was supposed to be rain today." His eyes ran down her and landed on her hip. Raven felt her stomach fall to the floor as he continued to stare at her body, as if trying to see underneath her clothes. She unconsciously shivered under the weight of his gaze.

"How's… the wound?"

Well, _that _was tactful. Raven blushed and looked over at her cloak, still piled on the floor next to the stairs. If only she could hide under its folds again, then maybe she could hide from Beast Boy, and this situation he created. She forced herself to stay calm, and returned Beast Boy's stare with a deadpan glare. "Fine… I suppose. It's still bleeding."

There was a long pause as he continued to stare at her, as if he was trying to understand what was wrong. "Why… why aren't you healing? Is something wrong?" He reached out to touch her, but Raven took a step back. They both needed the space between them.

"I don't know." She looked away, suddenly noticing how very _alone_ they were in the middle of an empty forest, in an abandoned ranger's watchtower. Her heart skipped a few beats, and the metallic scent of danger seemed to fill the small space around her.

"Rae…" Beast Boy sighed and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You do this to me _all the time_. You want to help all of us when we need it, but you never let any of us help you when you need it. You're more than happy to dish it out, but you'll let the world end because you want to do it on your own." Ouch. _That _hit a little too close to home. "If you need us, we're here for you. You just need to ask."

"I know." Raven faced him, her lips tugging down in a frown.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow, silently asking her to continue.

She sighed and leaned back against the railing behind her. "It's your brand. It… I…" Swallowing whatever concerns and fears she was harboring, Raven tilted her chin up and looked Beast Boy in the eyes. If the beast was going to brand her, then Beast Boy was going to have to deal with the consequences, whether Raven wanted him to or not. "Did you really mean it when you said you wanted to help me?"

His eyebrows knitted together and he regarded her carefully, as if searching for a trap. "Of course."

"Even if it has to do with you?"

He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Rae… I'm pretty sure that during these past few days, _all _of your problems have to do with me and… this stupid thing inside me." There was a pause as his eyes slid down her body again, inspecting her without touching. Raven shivered as his eyes found her face again. "I promised to help you no matter what, and I'll stick to that."

"Fine." Raven nodded curtly. "Then, I need to show you something… and I need you to at least _pretend _maturity for five minutes, okay?" Her hands slid to the back of her uniform and searched for the zipper to her neoprene suit.

"Preten… gah! What in the world are you _doing_?" Beast Boy jumped three feet away from her and backed up against the farthest guardrail, trying to keep space between them. That wasn't exactly what Raven was asking for, but at least he hadn't made some kind of rude comment. That was something. He continued to stare at her as she fought with her uniform's zipper.

"That was why I asked for you to pretend maturity." Raven rolled her eyes and managed to tug the zipper down. She freed her arms and slid the top of her uniform down to her hips, exposing her brand. There was a moment of anticipation, and then the awkwardness between them vanished as the severity and urgency of the situation sunk in. Beast Boy mumbled a curse as his eyes fell on her hip. The blood was trying to clot, but the wound was still raw and angry looking, as if it was becoming infected. "I needed to show you this."

"Raven…" Beast Boy took a few, careful steps toward her, reaching out to touch her. "Is this… is this mine?"

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes again. "Who else would have ripped me open?"

"I… I don't remember doing this. I knew about the first time, but this… it's so brutal." His hand carefully slid across the wound, inspecting the drops of crimson that leaked out. He picked his head up and met her eyes. "When did this happen?"

"Last night…" Raven pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed, trying to keep her heart from pounding out of her chest. Why did she agree to this? Now she was half-naked as he crowded around her and touched her, and her hormones were jumping all over the place. This was a stupid idea, and she was going to pay the price. "You… _the beast_ came through my dreams. He informed me that I had no choice in being your mate and that I was taking too long. That…" Raven's voice drifted off and she looked away from Beast Boy. "He came to tell me that he wouldn't let me choose my own fate, no matter what happened… Oh, and that I'm going to be great at popping out little spawn."

"Raven…" Beast Boy watched her carefully, as if trying to understand exactly what was going on with her. Unable to find some way to commiserate, he just returned his stare to her wound. Raven didn't know what she expected him to say. She didn't want empty words and promises, but she did want something tangible from him. Something that would make sense of everything, of the brand, the situation, and even of the beast inside him. But her response was silence, and that hurt more than anything else.

"Can I… take a look at it?"

"Well, you're not exactly a _doctor_."

His blank stare proved that, for once, humor would do her no good.

Raven swallowed the cold feeling that slid through her body at the proposition and she nodded slowly. She was already into this neck-deep, what were a few more poor decisions? "I guess."

Beast Boy lowered himself to his knees until he was close enough to examine the full extent of the damage. His warm breath slid across her skin, and something in her stomach seemed to burst into a conflagration. Biting back a whimper, Raven leaned against the railing behind her, desperately searching for support. This was beyond a "poor decision." This was just plain stupid.

His fingers moved across the wound again, inspecting the gouges in her skin. Her blood continued to stain both his fingers and her own skin, but the wound wasn't throbbing so much anymore. The pain seemed to fade into a dull ache at his touch. Beast Boy glanced up at her, asking silent permission. Raven just swallowed and nodded, not exactly sure what he was planning on doing. And really, did it even _matter_ at this point?

Beast Boy's hands caressed the soft, unscarred skin on the small her back, letting a moment of anticipation hang between them before he pulled her closer to him. He kissed the small hollow below her sternum, whispering something unintelligible into her stomach. Raven bit her lip as his tongue slid across the angry marks, trying to soothe the pain and clean the wound as a wild animal would. It should have erupted in unrestrained pain, but her body seemed to understand what he was trying to do, and the gashes slowly began to heal.

His tongue moved across her hipbone, dipping into the crease close to her thigh. Raven panted. This was so wrong. So _very, very_ wrong.

So, why wasn't she stopping him?

Beast Boy tugged at her uniform, trying to reach parts of the brand that were still hidden by the neoprene. He pulled it down, letting the garment fall around her ankles. Raven felt her whole body blush as the cool, moist air hit her exposed skin, but Beast Boy didn't stare. He seemed so interested in making sure her wounds were tended to, that he barely acknowledged her new state of undress. He licked slowly along her abdomen again, this time a little closer to her navel.

Raven groaned and her hands gripped the few slats of wood supporting her weight. "Gar…"

His lips paused over the marks, as if savoring the taste of his name on her lips, and her blood on his own. Finally, he grunted in what Raven assumed as approval, and his hands pulled her hips closer. His fingers hooked into the waistband of her utilitarian, black panties and pulled them down her legs.

Raven mumbled a curse and looked down at him, hoping to see some indication of a prank. Jokes and teasing she could handle. But this uninhibited, primeval passion… she just didn't know how to react, or even if she could.

"Gar…" Raven felt like she was pleading now, but Beast Boy didn't even respond. He continued to lap at her wound, as if he _needed _to heal her. As if there was nothing else he could do until she was taken care of. Raven shuddered as a soft whimper escaped. What had she done? This was her fault. She _allowed _him to do this to her.

His fingers slid along the inside of her thigh, moving softly across her skin and tracing invisible patterns. One stroke. Two. And then, without any kind of warning, his fingers thrust into her core, probing and exploring her. Raven nearly screamed at the sensation of his rough, calloused hands against her sensitive center. The dream was _nothing_ compared to what he could _really _do. His tongue swept closer to her navel again, cleaning the wounds he created.

Raven could only groan in response. In this cloud of emotion Beast Boy had created, she was unable to remember how to form words, let alone a sentence.

Beast Boy whispered something against her abdomen again, as he continued to stroke his tongue along her wound, leaving it clean. He glanced up at Raven, and her stomach dropped at his expression. Why hadn't she noticed? She had seen the same clouded look in his eyes yesterday when they fought on the beach, a mixture of beast and man. She should have known that this passionate act wasn't _all _Beast Boy.

Her mind didn't have the time to react, because his fingers began to move again. Sliding in and out of her body, delving into hollows Raven didn't even know she had. She whimpered and her head lolled back on her neck, whispering his name again. Against her better senses, she whispered one soft word of encouragement, but that was all Beast Boy needed.

Beast Boy snarled and removed his fingers. His hands gripped her thighs and pushed them apart, exposing her even more. Raven opened her mouth to protest, but her words were cut short by another growl and an angry stare. Beast Boy's tongue left her brand, swirled around her navel, and dipped lower into her center. Raven moaned.

He slid his tongue along her moist entrance slowly, as if savoring the taste of her. After a pause he did it again, slower this time, dragging out the sensation and driving Raven to the brink of insanity. She panted again, her legs threatening to give out any second. He made a noise of approval, and stabbed his tongue deep inside her.

Raven screamed.

The raw, passionate noise echoed off the treetops until they were both surrounded by her emotions. And that did everything to please Beast Boy. Smirking, he continued his relentless onslaught, exploring the same hollows his fingers had, tasting every part of her he could. His tongue slid slowly around her most sensitive parts, dragging another scream from her.

"Gar… please…" Raven had no idea what she was asking him for. For him to stop? Perhaps. Release? More than likely.

Beast Boy gently bit down on the soft skin, and thrust his fingers inside her again. He teased and played until Raven wasn't sure which parts of her were still on the earthly plane, and which parts were off in another dimension. Her muscles seemed to tense and relax at the same time, pressure building inside her like tea kettle left to boil for too long.

"Please… don't… don't stop." Raven had no control over her body anymore. Even if she had the will to stop him, she knew her body wouldn't let her. So, she could only stand there and let him ravish her like she was some stupid heroine in a romance novel.

Beast Boy pulled away slightly and whispered into her stomach. "I want his name." Raven tried to catch the inflection in his voice, but his fingers were doing too much damage to all of her cohesive thoughts. He licked her sensitive parts again before looking up at her. "I want his name on your mouth when you come."

The brazen, crude language made Raven shudder. "I promise."

"I want you to _scream_ his name. Yell until every tree in this forest knows who you belong to." His fingers brought her to the edge and abruptly stopped. Shivering from the denied release, Raven looked down into his face. It wasn't Beast Boy, and somewhere in her body she knew that, but her hormone soaked brain couldn't comprehend that. Nor did it care.

He snarled up at her. "Scream, little bird."

His fingers gave a few final thrusts and he dipped his head to catch what her body offered. True to her word, Raven screamed Beast Boy's real name at the top of her lungs. Her nails sunk into the moist wood as she searched for something solid to cling to. Her arms felt unable to support any of her weight, and she toppled to the floor, staring at the ceiling.

What had just happened?

Raven gripped at her chest, trying to calm her heart. In her peripheral vision, she saw Beast Boy sulk around the edge of the deck, his eyes still trained on her body. A deep blushed covered her skin from toe to hairline, and she began to search for her discarded underwear. She be damned if she stayed naked around the beast.

He watched, eyes curious. "So… you have no problem taking _pleasure _from me."

Raven looked over her shoulder at him. Her eyes narrowed. "You didn't start that."

His eyebrows peaked in interest. "I didn't? I am in this body, do what he wants, and in return I give him a… _confidence_ to do things he only dreams about. You wish to tell me that I didn't start that?" Raven just glared and kept looking for her underwear. She really hoped that it didn't fall off the observation deck. _That _would have been an interesting story to explain.

"Ah… I see you're hard to convince." He approached her slowly, crowding her into a corner of the deck. "Even still… you let me finish what I didn't start." Raven didn't have an answer for that, and she stayed silent. He reached up between their bodies and showed her his hand. "You even honored my command to scream his name. Tell me, Raven, would you have let just anyone taste your sex? Are you such a little tramp that any person standing alone with you could have indulged in the same pleasures I did? How many _boys _have you let touch you like that?"

Color flooded her face again and she raised her hand to hit him, but he grabbed her wrist to stop her. Raven growled into his face. "You're trying to make me feel guilty about it."'

"I don't have to try. You do it all on your own." He took his free hand and thrust his fingers into her body again. His lips turned up in a smirk. "And you're already dripping wet again. I can make you come again if you want, Raven." He pushed her harshly against the supports for the guardrail and snarled at her, sliding his fingers in and out of her. "I can fill you up with more than just my tongue."

"Get off!" Raven reached back and slapped him as hard as she could, the sound echoing through the emptiness around them. Stunned, he stumbled backward a few steps, holding onto his cheek.

"What vigor." He pressed close to her and grinned into her face.

"Get away from me."

"Give me what I want. What your precious little _Garfield_ wants." He pushed against her, making sure that she felt his arousal through his uniform. Raven shuddered and she squeezed her eyes shut, wishing this would all go away. She didn't want this? How had this utter _disaster _happened? Oh, that's right, she _invited _it to happen with her blatantly stupid decisions.

"Believe me, Raven… he may have started this, but _I _can finish it. If you screamed that loud with my tongue inside you… imagine how my cock would feel." His lips pressed against her ear, pitching his voice low. "Sliding into your tight body. Giving you what you… _need_."

"I don't need anything from you." Raven pulled her head away from him and growled.

"I find that so very hard to believe, considering what you just let me do to you. Has anyone fucked you before?" He grinned into her face, showing off his fangs in the gray, stormy light. Raven shuddered and she tried to pull away from him, but he kept her pinned in the small corner of the observation deck. He was taunting her, trying to make her crumble. "I mean _really _fucked you. Not that stupid, trivial bullshit you humans call 'love making,' but a good, hard fuck… like in Garfield's dream I let you witness."

Panic swept through her. He transferred that dream to her? _He _was the one that forced her to experience that debacle?

"_That _was a fuck. Biting and screaming, swearing and pleading… it's a pity you couldn't hear what he was shouting at you… Oh, how does that stupid saying go… he has a mouth that would make a sailor blush?" He laughed at her, watching the horror on her face with a form of satisfaction. "The things he told you he would do to you… it just makes me want to take over his body all the time."

"Get away from me!" Raven shoved at his shoulders and managed to put some small amount of space between them. She could feel her energy trying to gather at her fingertips, trying to preserve and save her, but she still had nothing left. And she would be forced to stand here and take this kind of abuse from this… _thing_. "I made a poor decision, but that doesn't mean I'll let you _fuck_ me."

"What if it isn't _me…_ what if you're being fucked by Garfield? It wouldn't have to be me at all…" He smiled at her and leaned back on his heels, taunting her. "See the funny thing about me… I can go and come when I want. I could start everything, get you wet, make you come… and then… your little Beast Boy can rise to the surface and finish what I started. _He _can fuck you until you can't see straight. How does that sound to you, my prudish Raven? Better than a beast?"

"Stop it." Raven moved toward her uniform, deciding that her underwear just wasn't _that _important. She needed to get out of there as quickly as she could. The beast was getting volatile and there was no telling exactly what he would do to her. Raven continued to glare at him. "You're angry because no one loves you. No one cares about the beast. It's all about Beast Boy… and you're just a footnote on his page. Nothing more."

"What did you _say_?" The air around her changed instantly and Raven stared. The beast growled low in his throat, his claws extended and cut into his own fists. "A _footnote_?He's _weak_. Stupid and childish. Empty headed and concerned with only himself. He can't even provide for you like I can, Raven. And you want to be a mate to _that_?"

Raven's heart felt like it had dropped to the floor as his words struck her. She finally connected the pieces together. _I had one choice, and the beast chose it for me_. The beast lied to her yesterday. He didn't care about making Beast Boy happy or even complacent, he wanted to choose the mate himself. _The beast _wanted Raven, Beast Boy's own desires just fueled his emotions. "_You_ chose me."

"Garfield did." The beast stared at her, still growling. There was a shadow of hurt and fear hiding in the depths of his unbridled anger. Raven was right. The beast was the one that wanted to claim her, and he was jealous that Beast Boy was all she was concerned about. "I just took the step for him. He would never do it himself."

"_You _wanted me."

"Stop insinuating that." But his hands were trembling.

"You want to fuck me." Raven snarled and stepped closer to him.

"Because I've marked you for my mate, you stupid woman. That's what mates do, they _fuck_."

Raven's lips twitched in understanding. "I thought you marked me for Beast Boy's mate."

"You're impossible." The beast stepped forward and grabbed her hair, yanking her closer to him and forcing her eyes to meet his. "I marked you regardless of who will get you. You _want _to belong to my host? Fine. Take him. But understand this, Raven, I will always be inside of him and I will not let you love another person ever. You have me and my host, and that is all. And one day, I will fuck you. It might be today, it might be months from now. But you'll break and I will have you how I want you."

Raven smirked up at him, knowing that she was getting under his skin. Knowing that she was going to win this fight. "Is that a threat?"

The beast bared his fangs. "It's a promise." He shoved at her body and tossed her to the ground, smiling. Raven stared up at him, her emotions a strange mixture of panic and excitement. What was he doing to her? "Now, Raven… You're so concerned with keeping Beast Boy safe and protected… how about a game to get him back? A chase? You escape me and I will relinquish control of this body back to Beast Boy."

Raven swallowed hard as she stared up into his unforgiving expression. "And if I lose…?"

"I get to fuck you."

)O(

_I forewarned you that this was darker than my usual fare. Just reminding you. Please feel free to leave a review. I love to hear your thoughts._


	5. Chapter 5

**Primeval  
**Chapter Five

)O(

"I'll lose, and you know that." Raven growled at him. "I don't even have a _chance_ at winning, so drop the subject and give me back Beast Boy."

The beast leaned back on his heels and stared, his face expressionless. "A chase."

"You're using that as an excuse to fuck me." The beast didn't even look remorseful at the accusation, and that made Raven even angrier. He was toying with her, giving her some false hope that she might be able to save her future. But, Raven knew the truth, there was no hope. As far as the beast was concerned, she belonged to him and his host whether she wanted to be or not. "Give me back Beast Boy."

"I'm not giving him back, not until I get what I want."

"Give him back!" Raven's hands were shaking at her sides. "I will not play your games!"

"So angry." The beast just continued to stare at her, smiling. "Come on, little bird… you know you want to play. It'll be… _enjoyable_."

"Stop it. You will _not _do this to me." Raven snarled at him. "So, stop trying to coerce me into agreeing to something I do not want!"

The beast snorted incredulously. "Don't _want_? You wanted it when I was tasting you, when I was teasing you, but now, when there are stakes to the game, you want nothing to do with me? Don't test me, little bird, because at the end of the day you get _no _choice. Now, play the game or I will take my winnings with or without your consent."

"Give me back Beast Boy!" Raven, in a fit of stupid, blind rage, lunged at the beast. He didn't even flinch as she attacked him. In a show of battle prowess, he grabbed her arm and pulled sharply. Raven was jerked to the left, then using her momentum against her he threw her to the floor. Her breath emptied from her lungs as her body smacked into the aged wood. The beast crouched over her, his knee digging into her lower back. He pressed on a sensitive nerve, and Raven involuntarily twitched in pain.

"Whether you give it to me or I take it from you, I will always get what I want, Raven. So, do not think that you can fight against me and win."

Raven sneered up at him, anger still coursing through her like hot lava. He sniffed the air, tasting her emotions, but they didn't seem to faze him at all and he smiled down at her as if he had conquered some great feat. Raven cursed. This was simply a show of dominance, he was the alpha male and she was stupid to try and resist him. But she wouldn't let him win, not without a fight.

"You said you had _no _feelings for me. I was just a lowly demon." Raven's words were squeezed tight, as if a vice were wrapped around them. Hearing the tightness, the beast eased the pressure on her back, enough to let her speak freely. "I thought this was all for Beast Boy. I thought you just wanted to keep your host happy and content."

His lips twitched, as if she had touched a rather sensitive and emotional spot. "Is that what you think? That this is all for Beast Boy?"

"That's what you told me last night."

His eyes narrowed and he scowled at her. "That may be, but you're my mate too, and I will always keep myself happy." His claws slid under the band on her bra, tearing the last piece of clothing off her. "And it makes me happy to have you exactly how _I _want you. Wild and untamed, like the _animal_ we both know you are." He removed his knee from her lower back and pulled her to her feet again, not bothering to hide his admiration of her body in the thin, gray light.

"Now, Raven. If you do not run, I _will_ take you here and you will have _no_ choice and _no_ hope of ever escaping me. You are still wet for me, still want me… and in spite of your rather _rebellious_ nature, it will be no trouble to pleasure you. So, take your pick… you can chance winning and freeing your precious Beast Boy now, or you can give in and I can fuck you here and now. And I mean _fuck_."

Shivers slipped down Raven's spine as she watched him brandish his fangs at her. She knew he wasn't bluffing. He would take her whether she wanted it or not, and to be quite frank with herself, Raven didn't know if she even had the _power _to resist him for much longer. Both options would end in failure, but she might as well choose the one option with a chance. "Fine, you want me to play your stupid game? I'll play. On one condition."

The beast looked intrigued and he licked his lips in curious anticipation. "Which is?"

Raven tried to keep her blush from spreading across her body. "If I lose, Beast Boy gets to… fuck me, not you."

The change was instant, and his eyes darkened as he snarled at her. "No. Not this time. It's my chase. My game." His claws extended and he pressed Raven into a corner. "You're _my mate_. I will not share my first time with you. Not with my host."

Raven felt another surge of anger crash into her and she met his snarl with one of her own. "You _did_ lie to me. You told me this was all to keep your host _happy_. _You_ didn't want a filthy, lowly demon seed to be your mate. But here you are, giving me _no choice _in my fate! You will claim me whether I want it or not, whether Beast Boy wants it or not!"

"Trust me, _little bird_, my host desires you in the same way I do, and he will be happy and content when he knows I've claimed you for us, demon or not." His head tilted to the side and he stared at her, dissecting her emotions. "Should I care that you are bastard to a demon king and can topple words with a fraction of your power? You still have some streak of wilderness in you and you're still the bitch I need, so I will rut with you like the demon you are if that's your wish. But remember, you _are mine_, and I will not share my first time with you. Not with _him_."

That had been intensely offensive and Raven had the strongest desire to punch him in the mouth. She shook with disgust as he paced around her. "_Rut _with me? Like some kind of _wild_ animal?"

The beast smirked. "What do you think I am, Raven? A gentleman? Do you want me to _make love_ to you, and lay you down on a bed of lavender, telling you sweet things? Life does not exist so beautifully outside of the fairytales. You are _my mate_, and mates do _not_ make love, we _fuck_."

"So, _fuck_ me then."

"You take the fun out of the game." His tongue ran slowly over his lips and his hands reached out for her body. Raven shivered as his claws came in contact with her scabbing brand, running gently over the wound. Her body nearly vibrated in contentment, and she was disgusted with herself. Why did she react like this to _him_? His lips slid along the curve of her earlobe. "But, if that's your wish, Raven… I'll be more than happy to fuck you right here and right now."

Raven pulled away and glared. "I'll lie there and take it."

There was an angry, violent pause like the eerie calm before the raging storm. Raven felt her stomach drop as his eyes flashed with something stronger than fury. "_Take it_? You'll _take it_?" He howled at her, snarling and panting. "Raven, you are treading on thin ice. No mate of mine is going to just _take it_. You're going to enjoy it. You're going to scream as I pound into you, as I fuck your brains out. You will scratch and hiss in pure ecstasy. You will not simply _take it_."

Raven just stared at him, gaze steely.

The beast howled again. "Do not _toy _with me, little bird! I am in no mood for your antics."

She pressed her face close to his, growling. "Then let _Beast Boy_ claim your prize."

"No!" He pushed her back into the guardrail and glared down at her. He was seething anger now, and even without her powers, Raven could feel the volatile fury and frustration roiling under his surface. The dominance he was exerting now was nothing compared to what he _could _do if he were pressed far enough. He was _dangerous _and Raven needed to remember that, or something terrible might happen to her. The thought of that threat shook her bones.

The beast's clawed hand wrapped around her jaw, tilting her face to meet his. "I will not share you. Not this time."

Raven fought the urge to spit in his face. "You don't get it both ways! I have a say too!"

"And your say is yes!"

"You're a bastard! You've given me no choice, no right to control my own body, let alone my own fate!" Raven shoved at his shoulders, putting space between them and desperately fighting the urge to punch him. This was still beast Boy's body, and she still needed to protect him. Especially from whatever this _beast _was.

The beast's hands fisted and relaxed, as if he were fighting something inside him, something he didn't know how to control. "You were chosen, Raven, you have _no choice_."

Raven snarled again, shaking with so many emotions she didn't know where one left off and the other began. She was a mess of feelings. His eyes met hers and Raven glared. "I am _not _an object you can simply will to love you."

There was a heavy pause as his eyes darkened at the word. The world seemed to stop spinning and Raven felt something strange and painful well up in the space between them. He took a step back and stared at her, not in lust or ownership, but in curiosity. For the first time ever Raven felt him actually _looking _at her and actually seeing what she was. His head titled to the side in confusion. "Love?"

"It happens between… mates. Or, it's supposed to anyway." The beast stayed silent, and Raven cursed under her breath. Of _course _he wouldn't understand. He only knew pure, primeval possession and desire. She was his mate, and mates simply bred, they did not love.

"Forget it." She moved toward the stairs, feeling his eyes follow her steps. Her mind was exhausted, her body empty of everything, and all she wanted to do was go home and somehow wish away what had happened here. "I'm done playing these stupid games with you. I'm going home, and I don't care if you give me Beast Boy back or not. Keep him." Raven stormed down the steps, feeling them give under every press of her weight. Let the stupid beast do what he wanted, she would have no part of it. "Don't you _dare _follow me."

The beast dropped from the observation deck to the forest floor, landing almost silently in the dead leaves and ground. Raven cursed again. He was pinning her into a corner, forcing her into a game she did not want to play. It was just as he said, there was no choice. He blocked her only escape, and in return for some semblance of freedom, she would have to play his game.

When Raven reached him at the bottom of the steps, he had changed into his natural form. The ragged, hairy beast grunted and snarled at her, saliva dripping from his fangs. Raven gasped and stumbled backward, trying to escape him. She wasn't fast enough. His claws grabbed her hip and sliced his brand against her skin, from bellybutton to spine.

Raven screamed as blood left her body and spilled down her hip and leg. She and dropped to her knees, watching her blood spatter on the moss beneath her. What was happening? It was as if she was being forced to relive that horrible dream all over again. The scent of blood and wet dog filled her nose as she stared up at the beast, stumbling over her words as she begged for help. He simply stared down at her, unconcerned.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Raven pressed her hands to the wound, trying to stop the blood flow. It seeped between her fingers, looking gruesome. "Just leave me alone."

"As I said before, you were chosen, Raven. You did not get a choice in your fate, you never have." The beast snarled at her, eyes dark. He dropped down into a squat next to her, his hands poised on the ground, readying for action. He looked every bit the predator ready to pounce on its prey. "_Run_."

Gasping, Raven did as she was told and took off into the forest, sliding through and around trees. Underbrush slapped and scraped at her skin, obscuring her vision and forcing her deeper into the unknown. The more she ran, the more her sense of direction left her, until she knew she was completely lost. The ground sloped in a way she did not recognize, and there were trees growing that she couldn't remember ever seeing before.

Pausing in a small, overgrown clearing, Raven came to a frightening realization: they were in the wilderness. There would not have been a soul for miles and she was trapped in this forest with the beast.

But what could she do?

Only run and hope for a miracle of escape.

Behind her, Raven could hear his slow, even pursuit, pausing every so often to let her get ahead. She would race in front of him, ducking into spots of underbrush, and she would hear silence for a moment, then there would be the snap and crunch of leaves, slowly approaching her. He would win and he knew that, he was only giving her some small chance for hope. To make her feel better about losing.

Raven tripped. Her foot caught on a rock and her body tumbled to the ground, lying in the thick moss growing under a tree. She lay there, her eyesight focusing and un-focusing as she tried to pick out the beast's shape through the trees. There was the howl of wind, the patter of rain on leaves, and the scent of moist undergrowth, but there was no sign of the beast. Raven cursed. Had she lost him? In that short run into nowhere, had she _really _lost him? And if she had, how in the hell was she supposed to find her way back to the tower?

Raven crawled to her feet and stumbled deeper into the woods, feeling trees press even closer to her. Her pace was slower and if she looked down at the earth beneath her, she would see the splatter of her own blood dripping from that cursed brand. There was nothing she could do now, except accept that she would be a mate to a beast who tormented her.

She listened for anything that might have indicated his presence, anything that said she wasn't alone. But there was silence. Cursing, Raven collapsed underneath another tree, staring up into the leaves. How had this happened? Not two days ago had she been content in life, with great friends and a great honor of being a Titan, but now… now she was being forced to take a mate.

"Do you think you've won?"

The voice slipped down her spine like ice, and Raven turned to face him. He was morphing back into Beast Boy's body, the dark, shaggy fur disappearing into his skin and deep set eyes returning to their normal shape and color. His steps were slow as he climbed the hill to see her, stare curious and intrigued. He was completely naked and Raven stared as thin, ropey muscles slid under his moist skin. If she hadn't felt like she was a dying, caged animal, she might have enjoyed the sight.

Raven puffed out a breath of air and leaned against the tree trunk, pretending she didn't see his nudity. "You knew I would never win."

"You gave up too easily. I know there is more left in you. More fight in your spirit. You let yourself lose, Raven." He stood in front of her, watching. His anger seemed to have faded with the chase, and all that was left was raw lust and possession. Raven could feel his desire press against her senses, urging her to give into what it was he offered. She muttered a breathless curse. Like hell.

She glared up at him from beneath drooping eyelashes. "How much fighting spirit do you think I have? I'm injured."

"You're branded… it's different." He crouched next to her, pressing his fingers into the wound. Raven winced, but the beast was unconcerned with her pain. His touch smoothed the sticky, clotting blood over her skin, and Raven's traitorous stomach clenched in anticipation. The beast felt her muscles contract and smirked. "This will heal easily, but it will also scar, Raven… and everyone will know that you are mine. You will be unable to hide it."

"I know. You told me I had no choice, and I believed you." Raven leaned back into the tree and sighed. "Take your prize."

There was a long, heavy pause as if he were judging and weighing the situation. "And will you just lie here and take it?"

"Yes." Silence. The air seemed to turn sickly and cold, and Raven looked at him. His lips were pressed into a thin line and his gaze was steely. She felt a drop of satisfaction at seeing him so furious with her, and she returned his previous smirk with one of her own. "You're angry."

"I am. As I told you before, no mate of mine is going to just _take it._ Our mating may not be fantasy, Raven, but it is _ours_. My desire for you must be reciprocated or…" Raven stared at him as he trailed off. Why did he need her desire? What good did that do for him? She opened her mouth to ask a question, but his sharp glare kept her unusually silent.

"I am confused by you." He bent down to look into her eyes, as if searching for something. "You make it seem so valiant, your hatred for me. But, if you are so disgusted with me, then why did you give me what I wanted? Why did you give me the chase?"

"Because you did this!" Raven motioned to her brand, the blood starting to darken with age. "You tore me open, threw me around, and nearly cursed my existence. What else was I supposed to do? I was _afraid _of you!"

"Afraid?" The beast jerked back slightly, as if confused. His skin paled as he continued to watch her. There was a long moment before he reached out touched her, fingers running gently over her face. Raven nearly shuddered with the touch, but she didn't pull away. He moved closer to her, lips barely brushing hers. "You have no reason to be afraid of me, Raven. I may be brash, even brutal at times, but I am incapable of doing _real _harm to you. You are my mate, and I am sworn to protect you."

Raven snarled and finally pulled away to stare at him. Was he being _serious_? He was incapable of harming her? Yeah right! "You have a funny way of showing it. You tackled me, scarred me, and chased me like a madman through the wilderness. All of that is _real harm _in my book. Oh, and while we're on the subject, let's discuss your general lack of regard for my own wishes!" She moved to strike him, but her body twisted strangely, jarring the brand on her side. Glaring at the beast, she cursed and forced herself to continue. He would get her piece of mind whether he wanted it or not. "If you think you're some kind of hero in a romance novel, you are greatly mistaken."

There was a surge of anger from him and he pulled away from her, crouching down lower to the ground. "You are insufferable. You claim you do not want me, hate what I do to you, and yet when I do this…" His tongue slid across one of the clotting claw marks, and Raven whimpered, her fingers digging into the moist earth. She felt heat pulse through her body, and the beast watched her limbs tremble. "_That_ happens. You want what I offer, and yet you do not want to take the responsibility that comes with it."

"Responsibility!" In an instant, Raven pushed of the weak feeling he gave her and lunged at him, gnashing her teeth. "What kind of responsibility would that be? Letting you scar me? Letting you chase me? Or is it just giving you whatever you want, and damn be my own desires. After all I'm just a stupid, lowly demon."

He growled low in his throat and pushed her back against the tree trunk. "I am going to silence that silly little mouth of yours, woman, if you do not learn to hold your tongue." The threat was suddenly filled with all kinds of invisible promises, and Raven felt color flood her face as she stared at him. The beast returned her glare before bending down to her stomach again. "Now, sit still while I clean your brand, I do not want it to get infected."

Raven opened her mouth to say something rude, but snapped it shut before she started another argument. Right now, without her powers, the brand would easily become infected, and she needed him to help her. Regardless of whether or not he was going to dominate her body in the end. Raven cursed under her breath and stared at the mop of wet, messy, green hair at her hip, trying not to let her mind wander back to their rather passionate _exchange_ earlier. Even now, his rough tongue was wreaking havoc on her emotions and her body, making everything burn in the heat he created.

He knew he affected her, and she knew that too… but _why_? He was crude, brazen, rude, and dominative, and yet every argument ended with them a hair's breadth apart, panting like animals in heat. It was disgusting and confusing, and Raven didn't like it one bit.

"Are you going to claim your prize when you are done?" Unconsciously, Raven's hand slid into his hair, removing leaves that had gotten caught there.

His lips paused over her hip, as if contemplating the question. He glanced up at her before moving her body so that she stretched out on her stomach, exposing the rest of the brand on her back. "I will not. Not tonight, anyway."

Raven jumped in surprise and looked over her shoulder at him. Was he serious? After everything that had happened at the observation tower, he was just giving up on her? "Why not?"

The beast chuckled and his stare met hers. "Are you disappointed?"

"No." Crimson colored her cheeks and Raven looked away. Like hell. If she got to avoid the embarrassing defeat of him _claiming _her for some more time, it was a small miracle. But that didn't mean she wasn't curious about why he was letting her go tonight. "I'm _curious_. You spent the last hour trying to convince me to let you fuck me and now… you seem unconcerned with what happens with me."

"Oh, I am _very _concerned with what happens to you… however…" He returned his stare to the scars on her back, frowning. There was a strange severity in his eyes, and Raven was unsettled by it. "You are afraid of me and angry with me. You say I have no regard for your wishes, and perhaps that is true, but you have no understanding of what this is between us." There was another long pause before he glanced up at her. "And you have said some things that I wish to contemplate… alone."

Raven stared at him, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. What could she have possibly said to change his mind? "Like what?"

"That is not for you to know." The beast heaved out a deep sigh and rose to his feet, offering Raven a hand up. "However, I will give you back my host on one condition only."

She raised a skeptical eyebrow and stared. "And that is?"

His expression was cold as he watched her shift her weight around, uncomfortable with the strange spaces between their conversation. "I want a kiss."

Raven rolled her eyes. "What is it with you and intimacy between us?"

The beast raised an eyebrow. "Raven, you let me taste your sex, after something such as that I didn't think a kiss would disturb you so much."

Raven's face flushed crimson again and she stared at him. Unfortunately, he was right. Raven raised herself to her full height trying to look confident and intimidating. "That's all I have to give you? A kiss? And you'll return Beast Boy to me?"

He nodded. "Correct."

"Fine." Raven leaned forward and innocently pressed her lips to his cheek. "There."

His eyes narrowed. "On my mouth, Raven. We are not children here."

Raven sighed and stepped up closer to him, raising herself on her tip toes to look him in the eyes. Heat radiated between the two of them, and even in the warmth she shivered. This was more than just a kiss, and when it was done whatever havoc it caused would linger between them forever. "And you _promise _to return Beast Boy to me?"

"You have my word." He leaned down so that his lips were barely brushing against her own. "Now, Raven… please kiss me."

Biting back her mind's protest, she pressed her lips to his and kissed. For a moment, there was a suspension of feelings, like a wave that hadn't quite crashed to the shore yet. And then, it hit. His arms slid around her waist, crushing her nude body against his own with enough force to bruise. Raven didn't even have the air to protest as he seemed to siphon it right from her lungs.

For never having kissed a woman before, the beast sure knew how to do it right. His lips moved with such passion against her own, that Raven felt as though she were drowning. His tongue and teeth knew exactly when and where to lick or bite her, earning an appreciative moan. She was melting in this _thing's _arms and, at the moment, it didn't really seem to matter.

Finally, Raven pulled away to gasp a short breath, but when she leaned back in the kiss had changed. It was gentler and tentative, as if confused about what was happening to both of them. Raven nipped at his lips, attempting to stir passion within him again, but he pulled away and stared down at her. "Raven… what in _Hell_ are we doing?"

She cringed. Beast Boy. The beast couldn't have picked a less awkward time to let him resurface? Of course not, it was that stupid beast's life mission to make Raven's own life as complicated as possible. She pulled away, looking him in the eyes. Color flooded her face as she examined his blatant shock. Clearing her throat, she tried to appear calm, even though her heart was slamming repeatedly against her ribs. "We were kissing."

"Uh-huh…" His eyes seemed trained on her lips before they ventured downward. He jumped back, putting even more space between them "_Why are we naked_!" The fear and confusion sunk deeper as he stared at Raven's unclothed form. In front of the beast, her nudity hadn't bothered her, it felt almost natural... and there were more pressing things to worry about than propriety. But standing here, in front of Beast Boy as he stared at her, she suddenly felt shy and awkward. Her hands attempted to cover herself up.

"It's… a long story." Raven's face flushed.

"I… Raven… you and I… we didn't?" His hands reached out to touch her, but he seemed to remember something, and he jumped away. Color disappeared from his face as he continued to stare at her. "You let me _touch _you. You let me..." His voice trailed off and he glanced away, unable to make eye contact with her.

"Yes." So, that _was _him. That was good to know, although she wasn't sure why. "Do you remember anything else?"

"I… the beast took over, didn't he?" Beast Boy sunk to the floor and held his head in his hands. "What is happening to me? I remember beging there with you, and then... it was like he threaded himself through me. He was part of me. And then... I remember nothing. I just know the last thing that happened was…" He trailed off and looked up at Raven, his face flushed. "I…" His gaze darted down to her sex before looking up at her. "I played with you… and when that wasn't enough, I… I ate you out. Or… I started to." He grunted a forlorn sound, like the cry of a wounded animal. "He finished what I started, didn't he?" Raven nodded, and his head fell back into his hands. "You must think I'm some kind of monster."

Raven's face flushed at the very blatant way he said things. But it was his own decision that fueled _whatever _it was that happened on the observation tower. He wanted to clean her wound, and in doing so he released something he didn't understand. Raven rubbed the back of her neck and watched him. "No, I don't…" His skeptical stare made her sigh and she dropped down to the floor next to him. "I _don't, _Beast Boy. I can promise you that. I _let_ you… do those things to me, and to be quite honest… I enjoyed them." Raven felt her face color again and she looked away. Why was this so awkward?

"You _enjoyed_ them?" His hands fisted in his hair, yanking on the strands. "Raven... sometimes, you're a stupid as me."

She frowned. That was uncalled for. "I don't know what you mean. How was I stupid? I came looking for my friend to see if he was all right, and I'm getting _chastised_? What for?"

"You don't understand how dangerous this _thing _is. He could have ripped you apart, raped you... I don't know, _eaten you for dinner_."

"Why worry about the beast? You did that just fine."

His anger seemed to fade, replaced by shock at her rather crude joke. "That wasn't funny."

She tried to offer him some kind of smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "It was a little."

"Raven…" He sighed and shook his head, still avoiding her stare. "I can't think like this right now. I'm naked, _you're_ naked, we've both had a long day, and right now all I can _really _think about is how I want to lay you in this grass and do terrible things to you." He stood up and kept his eyes trained on her face. "Can we go home, get clothed, and _then _maybe have a talk about whatever the hell happened today?"

Raven gave an inelegant snort. "We can try. Although, I'm not sure how focused you'll be."

A small, forlorn smile cracked across Beast Boy's lips. "Me either."

)O(

_This chapter did not turn out quite as long as I wanted and the ending is a little weak, so I'm sorry. I am already working on pieces of the next chapter, so I hope to have it out soon. Please leave a review, I love to hear your thoughts and concerns. Thanks!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Primeval  
**Chapter Six

)O(

"Your room is actually… _clean._" Raven was unable to hide her astonishment at the fantastic discovery. Except for a few socks and a t-shirt next to the nightstand, his room was picked up, relatively organized, and smelled faintly of fresh laundry. His movie posters had been replaced with tasteful pictures of the African savannah and jungle (undoubtedly places he once called home), and there were no cobwebs growing in the corners on the walls. For a moment, Raven wasn't even sure this was his room; except for the comic book next to the bed, it didn't look a thing like Beast Boy.

Beast Boy rolled his eyes and sat down next to her, staring at the floor beneath his feet. "I'm not a kid anymore, Rae. I can't live like one."

That was the first thing he had said to her in the past few hours. He'd clammed up for the better part of their trek back to the tower and avoided any kind of conversation like it was the plague. Thank the Goddess that Raven's powers returned shortly after Beast Boy resurfaced in his body, otherwise they would still be lost in the woods, wandering around naked. And _that _would have been an interesting conversation with their friends.

"Hm…" She pushed the queen-sized mattress below her, testing the springs. "And the bunk-bed is gone?"

"Yeah… I got rid of it a few months ago when I… was dating that girl…" His ears turned pink and he looked away. Raven felt a surge of jealousy pound through her chest, and she heard the glass in one of his pictures break. She'd forgotten about that girl. He had some dewy-eyed fan-girl pawing at him for three months straight. It had been the most annoying, disgusting, and frustrating three months of Raven's life. Then one day, she was gone and Raven's life returned to normal.

But now she felt _odd _in his room, knowing that he'd shared it with another girl. Knowing that all of this cleanliness, organization, and adult-sized bed was just to impress another girl. Another female.

Another mate.

Raven unconsciously shivered, and she rubbed her arms in some attempt to feel better. The room felt _itchy _almost, kind of like a new sweater, and all you wanted to do was escape from it. Or, rip it to shreds and send it to a stupid fan-girl in a flaming box with a curse.

Something else broke somewhere in his room, and Beast Boy's ears drooped a little, as if he'd been scolded. "Sorry I brought that up."

"Whatever. She's not dating you anymore." Raven sighed and leaned back into his pillows, piled on the headboard. The peculiar, woodsy scent of Beast Boy mingled with fresh laundry scent in his room, creating something that smelled uniquely Beast Boy. The scent calmed her a little, and she turned and watched him fidget with the edge of his bedspread, still avoiding her stare.

In all the time they had been together that evening, Beast Boy's eyes never quite met her own. Sometimes they would dart over her shoulder, other times they would seem interested in an invisible speck of dust floating through the air. But at no time, did he ever pick up his gaze and look directly at her. It was frustrating, to say the least. Especially when Raven was desperately trying to have a logical, serious conversation with him… and she kept thinking of that _stupid _girl.

Raven cursed under her breath and leaned close to him. "Are you _ever_ going to look at me?"

"Without thinking of you naked?" He gave her a careful, sidelong glance, as if trying to wipe the memory from his mind. "Probably not…" After another, long pause he offered a weak, awkward smile. "Although, I never knew you had dimples on your lower back. They're kind of cute."

"_Garfield_…" Raven's eyebrow twitched as she attempted to keep her anger in check. "I am going to pretend you didn't just compliment me with the word 'cute' and you're going to pretend you never said it." She frowned. "And why were staring at my behind?"

"Because you were naked and standing in front of me. What am I going to do? Pretend you're invisible?" Beast Boy snorted. "Come on, Rae. I'm a _guy_."

"You being a guy has absolutely _nothing_ to do with you making comments about my… _dimples_." Raven could feel color flood her face and she looked away. Was there any way he could make this _more _awkward? Probably, so she decided to not test her luck. "Can we focus?"

He picked up an eyebrow and smirked. "On your behind? I'll be more than happy to." Raven's deadpanned stare wiped the smile from the face, and he looked away, avoiding a quick death. "Sorry."

"_Thank you_." Raven sighed and rolled her eyes. It was like glorified babysitting with him sometimes. "Beast Boy… as much as you want to, we can't just _ignore _what happened out there or pretend it didn't happen."

"We can try." He harrumphed and looked toward his window, staring at the darkness of night for a few moments. Raven felt the temperature in his room turn uncomfortable and cold as she watched him, until he finally looked back at her. "I know we can't pretend that whatever… _that_ disaster in the woods never happened, so I would either like to know _exactly _went on between you and the beast, or I would like to know nothing at all."

Raven cocked her head to the side and stared, feeling sick to her stomach. He doubted her? After everything she had done for him, he _doubted _her? "You don't think I told you the truth."

Beast Boy cringed a little, but his stare never wavered. "No."

Ow. That hurt. It was Raven's turn to look away, and she stared at her hands folded in her lap. What else was she supposed to say? She told him the truth, explained everything she could (including some of the more dangerous details on the observation tower), and yet he still didn't believe her. There was something painful in that revelation. "I see…" She took a slow, deep breath before facing him. "Then I don't know what else you want me to say. I told you the whole truth, and yet you still want to assume scenarios between me and…"

"This god-awful thing living inside of me?" He snorted.

Raven pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to ward off a headache. It would be a long night if she had to keep fighting her own emotions and his distrust. "I was going to say the beast, but if you want to treat it like that."

His lips pursed and he stared at her, the tips of his fangs poking from under his lip. It was an indication of his anger with her. Fine, let him be angry, he didn't trust her, so she would make his life hell if that's what he wanted. "You're talking about it as if it's a real _person_ or something, Raven. It's _not_. It's a disgusting parasite, and I don't trust him around you."

"You're so angry with what he is, but you never stop and give him thought, Garfield. He's part of you, whether you want him or not. Maybe you should learn to accept him." Raven watched as his anger continued to rise. The hair on his arms bristled and his claws extended, but he kept silent. He didn't want to hear what she told him, but that wasn't Raven's fault he didn't want to understand or accept the beast. "Do you even know what the beast is?"

"Yeah." Beast Boy still glared at her, but at least he seemed to be fighting for control of his emotions. That was something. "He's a manifestation of the wildness inside of me."

"Did you _seriously_ just use the word 'manifestation'?"

He glared again. "Stop treating me like a kid, Raven. We're the same age, and I can be smart when I want to."

Raven was going to make a rather rude and snide comment, but decided against it. They were both tired and frustrated with each other, and there was no need for her insensitive comments. Not _now_ anyway. "He's a manifestation of wildness?"

"Yeah…" He leaned back on his elbows and stared at the wall, contemplating. "Every animal is born with an 'animal instinct' or 'survival instinct'… it understands and knows the habitat around them and how to survive in it. The beast is…" Beast Boy trailed off for a moment, trying to form his feelings into words. "He is a physical manifestation of all of those instincts. The one to dominate, to mark territory, to procreate, and to eliminate competition. He is all of that, living inside of me at all times."

"Hmm, strange…" Raven chewed on her lower lips and thought about it. It explained a lot of why the beast was the way it was. Raven rubbed her side, feeling the heat from her brand radiate through her clothes. She was part of his territory, and _that _was why she'd been marked, to make sure that every other male knew she belonged to an alpha male. Her stomach churned in protest of that thought, and she looked back at Beast Boy. "But it does explain a lot of his personality."

"Stop that, Raven, I'm serious." He glared at her, his stare icy. "It's not a _person_, it's a disease and I don't want it."

"You can't pretend that he isn't someone too." Raven sighed and looked into his eyes, trying to help him understand. It did both of them no good to simply wish the beast away. "He has feelings and he comprehends more than you give him credit for… hell, I had whole conversations with him."

"About _what_?"

"Fucking me mostly. Apparently that's all he thinks about."

Beast Boy paled. "Sorry, I asked."

"Maybe you shouldn't fear him, Gar…" Raven watched as his expression softened at the sound of a nickname. "Maybe you should learn to understand him. Accept him."

Whatever softness was on his face quickly disappeared, and his glare returned. He snarled at her, showing his fangs. "First of all, Raven, I don't _fear _him, he's annoying, takes over my body, and forces me to do _terrible things_. Most of them involving you, in case you forgot." Raven bit back a sour comment, but let him continue. "And secondly, I will _never _want to understand that _thing_. I just want him gone."

"You can't get rid of him, he lives within you and is part of you." Raven tried to be sympathetic, but Beast Boy made it hard when he kept yelling at her and ignoring what she said. She only wanted to help him. "Trust me, I've tried to make my emotions disappear before and it ends badly. You need to accept him. You need to learn how to coexist."

His snarl turned into a growl, and he pressed his face close to her. "I am _serious_, Raven. Drop the subject. I don't want to talk about it and I don't want your help."

Raven felt indignant, and her words welled up from some place dark before she had a chance to stop them. "You're so dense! You keep spouting off your desire to help me with a problem _you caused_, but you don't want my help when dealing with your own problems?"

"He's _my_ burden to bear! Not yours! I don't want to curse you or anyone else with him!" There was a long, painful silence between them. Raven hated the silence between them, it meant something was tearing them apart, and they were both too stubborn to admit it. Finally, Beast Boy looked up, his eyes tired and sad. "Maybe you should go."

Raven pursed her lips and stood up. It that's what he wanted from her, that's what she would give him. "_Fine_." She moved to the door, but stopped when her hand touched the handle.

Standing there, at the threshold of his bedroom, everything that happened to her that day seemed to hit Raven all at once, and her shoulders drooped with exhaustion. She had spent the better part of the last hour making up some phenomenal excuse to their teammates, she was still irritated and fatigued from her insane hike through the woods, had the beast basically tell her that he was going to fuck her whether she liked it or not, and to top it all off, she lost one of her cloaks to a raccoon in the woods. All-in-all, it was a pretty awful ending to a very awful day. The _least _Beast Boy could do was listen to her and trust her. But he couldn't even do that.

Raven glanced over her shoulder, looking at him sulking on his bed. "But, just so you remember, I've been marked for _your mate_. Not a friend, not a fuck… _a mate._ Think about it." She heard his hiss, as if he'd been physically hit, and turned to leave. "Goodnight, Garfield. I'll see you… later."

"Raven, do not go."

The cadence wasn't Beast Boy's and Raven turned around. His eyes were desperate, and his hand reached out for her. Her stomach twisted as she was reminded of what transpired in the woods, and what she was forced to experience. He was still dangerous, regardless of how desperate he appeared. Raven frowned at him. "I see it didn't take long for you to reappear."

The beast watched her coolly, but chose not to respond to her comment. "I felt it was necessary to intervene, before my host caused irrevocable damage…I am sorry that he was acting foolishly, he doesn't quite seem to grasp the concept of what I am, and he considers me something dangerous." He paused, expression unreadable. "You know you have nothing to fear around me."

Raven crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. "That is debatable."

His hand continued to reach out to her, pleading her not to leave. "Do not go, Raven… come here. I wish to talk to you."

Talk. Yeah right. Raven continued to watch him. "Are you going to jump me?"

He gave her a slow, dark smile, as if he were imagining all kinds of sinful things they could do in the privacy of Beast Boy's room. "_That _is debatable… but I will try my best to keep my desire in check. I can offer no promises though."

Raven sighed and returned to her position on the bed, back against the headboard to keep plenty of distance between them. "So, what do you want?"

"I have something I wish to speak to you about." His lips turned down in a frown. "Several things, in fact."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

The air turned sticky and thick with his carefully guarded emotions, and Raven watched as he turned away from her, collecting his thoughts. "I hate to see you distraught over my host, Raven. While he can be foolish and dense, he does care a great deal for you… he just wishes that you do not get caught up in what he considers his… _problems_." The beast frowned and looked over at her. "Although, I wish he would not consider me a 'problem,' he is letting his emotions get the better of him. Our relationship… is complicated."

"I can see that." Raven sighed and stared back at him. "But he's being stubborn and refusing my help. I've been… _here _before. I might not be able to fix him or you, but I can help you come to terms with each other."

"I appreciate the kind gesture, Raven." The beast smiled softly and moved closer to her, slowly encroaching on her personal space. "He may be stubborn, but he is also cautious. He doesn't want you to get tangled up in what happens between me and him." He ran his fingers over the backs of her hands, and Raven pulled them away, glaring. He just chuckled, as if amused by the prospect of certain death.

Raven ignored him, and tried to steer the conversation back where it belonged. "I just want to help him understand and accept you."

The beast looked at her, expression unreadable. "You wish for him to understand me? I'm touched that you think so well of me to want to keep me around."

"That's not it." Raven rolled her eyes. "And you know that."

"Do I?" He smirked. "If you do not wish to keep me around, then what is it?"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "I'm worried that he's going to tear himself apart, and… I care about him. I don't want to see him hurt. "

His lips twitched, as if he was going to frown, but he gave no other indication of his emotions. "He cares a great deal about you as well, Raven. However, he despises the animal inside him after what happened with you and Adonis. He fears that you will get hurt again, and he would rather push you away than take the chance." The beast offered a sad smile, as if he was wounded. "He doesn't seem to understand that I could never hurt you."

"You keep saying that, but I have yet to believe you."

He flashed his fangs at her. "I can show you, if you'd like."

"I'd rather not." Raven stared at him, still frowning. "Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

"No… there is something that you said that is troubling me, and I hope you can help me understand why."

"And that is?"

The air was turning thicker with more emotions, to the point Raven found herself struggling for gasps of air. She watched him stare at her, basking in the dense silence. Slowly, he licked his lips and moved even closer to her. "You told me that I could not will you to love me."

Raven vaguely remembered her yelling that to him, but then again, she had said a few other phrases that were probably meant to wound him and his pride. She nodded. "Yes." There was another, long pause as he stared blankly at the wall. Raven sighed. "And…?"

"What…" His words drifted off, as if they had died in his throat. Shaking his head, he looked over at her. "What is love?" He shook his head and looked over at her. "I understand desire, possession, lust… I do not understand love. I know that 'making love' is some pathetic excuse at fucking… but…" He trailed off and shook his head.

"Making love is more than just some wimpy form of fucking. It's a way to physically express your love for each other. That's why humans make love…" His blank, confused expression just stared at her. Raven rolled her eyes and continued to watch him. There was suddenly something very eerie about him, subtly dangerous and a little forlorn. "What are you? I mean… Beast Boy said you were a manifestation of wildness… is that right?"

"That is a very good description of what I am, although not entirely accurate." He sighed, still frowning. "I am everything my host is not. I am anger, possession, lust, violence, fear… I am the desire to procreate and to destroy. To claim territory and to defend it."

"And that's why you do not understand love?"

"Perhaps. My host is many things I am not. He is trust, honesty, fulfillment… I suppose he is love. Which must be why I do not understand it." He looked over at her, and stared at her. Raven felt a shiver run down her spine at the dark intensity behind his eyes. "And yet… I want you to love me, even though I do not fully understand what it is. I like the idea of love. There's something… comforting about it."

"I can't love you if you keep treating me like a possession."

His head tilted to the side, confused. "But you _are _mine. You belong to me."

Raven growled. "I do _not_. I am not a _thing_ that can be possessed."

"But you are mine. I have claimed you." The beast leaned forward and raised her shirt, exposing the brand on her stomach. "That is my mark, right?"

"Yes. I remember you carving it into me."

The beast ignored the jibe and continued to stare at her. "Then you are mine."

"I'm a _person_." Raven's eyes narrowed and felt her lips turn up in the beginnings of a snarl. He was trying to bully her into accepting something she didn't want. "With thoughts and ideas, and a _will_. I don't belong to anyone."

"_That _is my mark. Your body reacts when _I_ touch it. Those are all indications of ownership, and I do not understand why you want to believe that you do not belong to me." He continued to stare at her and that made Raven even angrier. He truly did not understand the concept that she was free to choose to love and enjoy whoever she wanted, and he would have no say in the matter. There was a long pause, and his head finally tilted to the side, as if understanding something for the first time. "You think I wish to enact some kind of slave ownership on you. That I will mold and shape you into what I think you should be. Is that your fear?"

How had he guessed? Raven's face burned red in both anger and embarrassment, but she managed to look him in the eyes. "I know you will. I am not what you want out of a mate, except that I'm convenient and accessible. You'll change me into something other than myself, and I know that."

"Convenient and accessible? Is that how you think I see you? I'm a little insulted you think so little of yourself and me. And _convenient _you are not." Raven kept silent and he smirked at her. "I rather like you the way you are, Raven. Spit and vinegar, and willing to stand up to me and my host. I need that. My mark has nothing to do with morphing you into someone else, it is a mark of my territory. I have no desire to change you, but I cannot share you either." He shook his head as Raven glared at him. "You are _mine_ and mine alone, Raven… whether you choose to believe it or not. And in return, I am yours."

Those words carried a strange, heavy weight, and Raven stared at him. What was he suggesting? That she wanted him? "What do you mean by that?"

"You do not know?" The beast watched her, trying to interpret her movements and emotions. Finally he pushed up Beast Boy's long sleeve shirt and showed her his right wrist. There was a very faint outline of a raven, wings spread as if in flight. Raven felt her blood leave her face suddenly as she stared at his arm. "When I marked you, your body chose to brand me was well. I am marked as a part of your own territory, Raven, and I cannot ever have another mate…" He offered her a slow, sinful smile. "Not that I would want one anyway."

Raven ignored his advances, still staring at his limb. "My… my body did that?"

"Subconsciously." He cocked his head to the side, still confused by her level of distress. "You seem upset by this revelation, but you already have manifestations of your emotions and powers, Raven… what they do when you are not paying attention…" He words drifted off and he smiled. "Well, I suppose that's anyone's guess. Regardless, I've been marked for your mate, and I rather like the idea." He licked his lips slowly, and Raven shivered at the sight of his tongue.

"But… I don't remember marking you." She turned away from him, pressing a hand to her head and desperately trying to remember _everything_ that transpired in the woods. How had that happened? It just didn't seem plausible. "I… I didn't even have enough of my powers to _fly _let alone _brand _you."

He raised an eyebrow and offered her his wrist. "You don't believe me? Then touch it. You can feel your surge of energy under my skin. It is _your _brand."

Raven's eyes met his before she reached out and gingerly touched the mark. His skin burned under her touch, and she felt the power rising to meet her skin. There was no mistaking it, the mark was hers. That was her energy, roiling under his skin, reacting to her touch. "But… I… I didn't do this. I don't remember doing this."

"Beast Boy has no memory of what happens when I infiltrate his body, perhaps the principal is the same. Perhaps your own manifestations did not want you to know what was happening, Raven. They may have known that you would have rejected their actions." He cocked his head to the side and watched her, his face free of any emotion. "Are you surprised by this?"

"Am I surprised? I'm in shock! _I _marked you! I branded you like… like… _cattle_." Raven felt her stomach sink to the floor, why would her emotions do that to her? Trick her into claiming him? "What for?"

"To keep me from claiming another mate." He reached out and circled her wrist with his fingers, bulling her hand to his mouth. "If anyone were to… make a pass at me, I would be marked and branded that I have been claimed. I belong to you and you alone." His lips kissed her fingers and nibbled on her knuckles. Raven glared and tried to pull her hand away, but he kept it close to him. "That's why I have your mark, and that's why you have mine. Is that so hard to understand?"

"No… but… I never wanted this." Raven tried to ignore the shadow of hurt in the beast's eyes, but it was hard. She kept saying things she wasn't even sure if she meant, but it kept the necessary distance between them. Raven sighed and looked away. "So, what do you want from me then?"

The hurt was replaced by confusion, and he distraught and uneasy, as if she had touched on a sensitive subject. He managed to look her in the eyes, and the intensity in his stare made her heart feel like it was going to stop beating. "At this very moment? I want to make love to you."

Raven felt her stomach drop to the floor and she stared at him. "After all that time convincing me that I needed to be thoroughly fucked, you want to make love to me now?"

"I wish to understand love, and you told me that making love is an expression of one's feelings for their mate. If that is true, then I wish to make love to you." He was pressing closer to her, breath warm on her neck. His tongue slid along her pulse, and Raven felt heat pool in her abdomen before spreading through her body. He nibbled on her earlobe. "You will tell me if I'm doing it wrong… won't you?"

Something about the situation set her off. The words felt contrived and overused, as if he'd used that ploy to get women before. Red flashed across her vision, and Raven felt the words well up before she could stop them. "Did you say the same things to that girl?"

His lips feathered across her skin before pulling away. He looked confused and a little hurt. "Beast Boy's toys?"

"_Toys_… as in there was more than one?"

The beast looked confused. "Several. But only one that my host thought was a suitable candidate for a permanent mate." He seemed to notice Raven's pale, shaking hands and pulled her close. He pressed his lips to her face, feathering kisses over her skin. "She was completely useless as a human being. She was dim-witted, lacked personality, and was rather unattractive. She also did not have the strength to harness me. I showed myself to her _once_ and she ran away like a scared child. I did not enjoy her company, but Beast Boy had some convoluted idea that her presence would cure our desire for you."

Raven's face flushed as his hands trailed down her body, resting on her hips. "And did it?"

"Of course not." His hand brushed lightly against her center and Raven jumped before glaring at him. The beast just laughed and continued tracing patterns against her skin. "He made love to her, fucked her occasionally… but it was still empty. And at the end of the night he would dream of you. He would masturbate to you."

Raven nearly choked on her own air. "That was a lot of information I didn't need to know."

The beast shrugged. "It's the truth… are you jealous of her, Raven?"

"No. I just…" He words drifted off and he watched her expectantly. "I'm _not_, okay?"

"If you say so." He leaned close to her. "I still wish to make love to you, Raven… and considering the fact that you are not attempting to strike me, I am going to assume you are open to the idea."

Raven snorted. "In your dreams. I am not letting you touch me."

He picked up an eyebrow. "Really? Our previous encounters would beg to differ." Raven continued to glare, but he matched her glare with a smirk. "I am more than happy to offer that again if that's what you want. I will admit that I rather enjoyed watching your knees tremble in ecstasy." His hand slid to the inside of her thigh. "And hearing you pant and beg was intoxicating." Raven could see a fine sheen of sweat break out on his brow. He was fighting to restrain himself. "And your taste…"

Raven flushed and she tried to put more space between them, but he kept following her across the bed. "No. I mean it."

He seemed slightly putout. "Another kiss then."

Raven groaned. He had to bring that up. "One kiss?"

"Or several, if you'll allow it." He smiled at her. "And I wish to touch you… I believe Beast Boy called it 'to cop a feel'?"

"I am not letting you cop a feel." The beast stared blankly at her, and Raven groaned. "Why do you want that anyway?"

"Because, you are soft and I enjoy touching you. I also enjoy the sounds you make." He leaned close, pressing his nose to hers. "Have you ever heard yourself whimper before? It's like music."

"You're impossible." Raven sighed. She was flirting with disaster _again_, as if she hadn't learned her lesson from the last time. If there was anything Raven felt tonight, it was stupid. "A kiss. And you'll return Beast Boy? Just like last time?"

The beast smiled slowly and nodded. "Just like last time." Without another word of encouragement, he leaned close and kissed her full on the lips, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. Raven immediately let loose a whimper, and her hands buried in his hair, urging him closer. It was pure, white-hot heat spreading between them. Raven clung to him like some love-sick fool, begging for his attention. But she couldn't stop herself, there was something in the raw, unabashed way he kissed and touched her that made her forget who she was.

His hands wandered around her body until he pressed against her shoulders and pushed her into Beast Boy's bed. He pulled away just enough that his lips ghosted against her own. "Please, Raven… let me touch you. I want to pleasure you." The desperation in his voice made Raven's resolve start to crumble, turning her stomach into a warm pool of need. Why did he do this to her? In the forest he had been so angry and dominative, but here it seemed as if he's become an entirely different person. There was less turmoil and strife between them.

The beast pawed at her jeans, tracing the stitching around the waist. "I need you. I need this. I need to touch you."

"No. Stop it." Raven tried to pull away, but his hands held her hips in place. He slid over her body, rubbing his face into the flat of her stomach, right where her brand burned. Raven pushed at his shoulders, still trying to put space between them. "Give me space."

"Please, Raven…" His hands were making swift work of her jeans, sliding them from her hips. "I don't need you to pleasure me, I just… I want to touch you, to know you are mine."

Raven stared at him, unable to move, her body still in shock. "Stop it." Her voice sounded weak to her own ears. "I'm serious."

"So am I…" He pulled her jeans and panties from her body, leaving her exposed to him. Cool air touched her center and Raven desperately tried to cover herself up. The beast pulled her knees apart and dipped his head to taste her center. His tongue was rough and warm, and unfortunately familiar. Why did she crumble like this?

Raven's hips bucked and she fisted the sheets. "Stop it."

"You let me do this before, Raven… I only wish to do it again." His fingers thrust inside her, stroking her slowly and building the fire within her at an almost leisurely pace. "Tell me you want me."

"No." Raven let her eyes glow red, an indication of her tumultuous emotions. He should have had some sense to back away, but he laughed instead, as if this were a very amusing game.

His eyes narrowed and his fingers continued to toy with her, bringing her to the brink of release but not letting her fall. Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes and she whimpered. "Tell me!"

Raven's head thrashed on the pillow. Why was he doing this to her? "I want you."

"Good." His tongue slid along the path of his fingers, slowly circling her most sensitive regions. Raven's hips bucked and she bit into a pillow to stop herself from screaming. His stare turned cold, watching her the same way a scientist would study subjects. He cocked his head to the side, eyes trained on her quivering lips. "And my host, tell me you want him too."

"Stop this…" Her back arched as he brought her to the edge, but stilled his hand, denying her release again. "Please."

"No." He frowned at her, watching her movements still. He waited patiently until her senses returned, then started the fire all over again. His fingers continued to tease her. "Tell me you want him."

Raven felt color flood her body and her skin burned. She needed release or she was going to implode. Her breath came in short, ragged breaths as she stared up at him. "I… I want him. I want Garfield."

"Mm… and what do you want us for?" His hand slid down the front of his own pants, rubbing himself through his jeans as if to relieve some of his own pressure. Raven seemed entranced by the movement of him touching himself and stared. There was something alluring about what he was doing in front of her, and Raven's heart seemed to speed up under the audacity of the sinful action. The beast snarled and pulled her chin to meet his face. "Do not get distracted by what I do. Now, tell me what I want to hear."

"I… I don't know what I want you for."

He growled at her, angered by her response. "Yes, you do. You want us to please you… in _every_ way possible." He continued to toy with her, bringing her to the elusive peak once more. Raven whimpered as he dipped his tongue inside her again. "Tell me you want me to please you." He swirled his tongue over her. "And this time, I'll let you come."

Raven was desperate and she bit back a moan. "I want you to please me!"

"Ah… the words I've longed to hear. It's sad that it took all that effort to coerce those confessions from you." The beast slid over her body and pulled his face to hers, grinning like a wild animal that had just won a battle and collected his prey. "Was that so hard to admit, Raven?"

Raven's hips bucked again, and she briefly wondered if she should just finish his work herself. He was egging her on and trying to break her resolve. Sweat broke out across her skin at she felt flames lick her veins. "You're a bastard."

"I'm _your _bastard." He took his free hand and pushed her shirt above her breasts. He traced her nipples through the fabric of her bra, watching her eyes close in pleasure. His claws extended and he ripped through the band, exposing her without effort. "And now I'm going to let you in on a secret, Raven… I have to say that I feel _terrible _that I was able to experience your orgasm and my host could not…"

Raven's eyes flew open and she stared at him, her breath coming in short gasps. "You aren't…" His fingers moved again, bringing her even closer to the edge. She bit back another moan and tried to glare through her half-lidded eyes. She was so close, if her body would just break before Beast Boy returned, she could avoid a catastrophe.

"I'm not _what_, Raven? That mean?" He leaned in and kissed her slowly, enjoying the sensation. He slid his lips to her earlobe and let his fingers take her higher. There was a moment of suspended time as he watched her face. "You should know by now, that I am almost evil." And he finally let her fall.

Raven bit into a pillow and screamed her hips bucking and her fingers digging into Beast Boy's wrist as she stared into his face. There was no indication that the beast had left, except the confused expression on Beast Boy's face. He looked down at Raven to find his fingers buried in her body and screaming in passion, and himself fully aroused and ready to take her. Thankfully, he had the decency to help her finish.

Panting, Raven watched as his expression moved from confused to repulsed, and she cringed under his stare. He was repulsed _by her_. By what she had done with him. Something black inside her chest seemed to eat at her heart. He was disgusted with her.

"What the _fuck_ just happened?"

)O(

_I tried to keep edit this as well as I could, but I am not the most glorious proof-reader. Although, I must admit that I think it's funny I intended this to be a one-shot. Clearly _that _didn't happen. I am sorry if this was a bit of an information dump, please forgive me and let me know how you feel about this. I enjoy hearing your thoughts and concerns. Thanks!_


	7. Chapter 7

**Primeval  
**Chapter Seven

)O(

"What the _fuck_ just happened?" He jumped away from her, stumbling backwards and falling off the bed. He sat there, on the floor, and stared at her until it felt like the air was a vice around Raven's chest, squeezing life from her. Shame colored her face and she looked away from him, desperately groping for the edge of the blankets to cover herself up. Here she was laying hot and bothered, exposed to him like some kind of trashy slut in a pornographic magazine, there was no wonder as to why he was disgusted with her.

"My god, Raven… did we just… did I…?" He stared at his hands before looking up into Raven's face. "Every time I turn around I am doing something to you I _shouldn't _be and I have no memory of how I got there, or how it happened." Color left his face and he turned away, staring off towards somewhere else. He couldn't even bear the sight of her, and could Raven really blame him? "And yet there you are, naked in _my _bed… being _pleasured_ by me… or…" He looked up at her again, this time his eyes were dark with a storm of emotions. "Is it even me?"

She winced as his feelings flooded her senses, and her limbs trembled under their weight. He was shocked, betrayed, frightened, angry… but most of all there was the underlying feeling of revulsion. As if everything that happened between them disgusted him. She was nothing to him, just the once-friend who let herself fall into a very dangerous web involving a primeval beast. Raven felt her throat tighten and color flood her body. Somewhere in the room, another picture frame shattered. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked away, why did she let this happen?

"Maybe you should just go."

Something ripped through her heart and she felt herself shiver. His voice was raw and his hands were shaking, but Raven couldn't look him in the eyes. She didn't want to see what emotions were hiding there, and she didn't want to face whatever pain was boiling violently between them.

"If that's what you want… I'll go."

Raven listened for a response, but nothing came. They both sat there in silence, waiting for each other to make the next move, but neither one did. So they both turned away from each other, pretending nothing (good or bad) had ever happened.

Her eyes closed and Raven felt something wet slide down her cheek as she fought back an angry gasp of breath. She couldn't do this anymore. Not here. Not with him. Mumbling her mantra, she slid into the shadows of his room leaving the empty chaos behind. Some part of Raven hoped he would stop her, but he didn't. He didn't say another word, and he let her move into the darkness and away from him.

His lack of response hurt her deeper than any brand ever could have.

Raven moved into her room and stood at the edge of her bed. It was dark here, and dark was her home. She didn't belong in Beast Boy's world, not as a lover or a _mate. _She barely belonged as a teammate, let alone a friend. But he tried so hard to make her fit, to make everything fit. Just last night, Beast Boy had been curled up at the edge of her bed, sleeping as if he belonged there, talking with her as if she were the only person in the world that mattered. But today, he cast her aside. And it was her own damn fault.

Why did this hurt _so much_? She was a _demon, _stalwart and stoic, she shouldn't have crumbled because of what happened. But… she was also human, and her heart was tender. Raven ran her hands through her hair and slid to the floor, clutching her head. Her whole mind felt like it was buzzing with a million bees, all chattering at once, trying to get her attention.

What was wrong with her? Was she just plain stupid? She lay there and let that happen to her? And what for? Because it felt good? Because this stupid brand _made_ her do it? Because the beast told her words of devotion, as sick and twisted as they may be? But even after all of that, what did it get her: nothing. All it did was put more distance between her and Beast Boy, her friend.

And now he hated her, because he hated himself.

She felt almost sick with the feeling of her emotions rattling around in her brain, it was as if a war was going on between them. Swearing, Raven reached out and grabbed her mirror, feeling a strange sinking feeling in her stomach. It was rare that she needed to visit her mind after the defeat of her father, but there had been a few instances where she needed to set her mind back into its rightful order. The last time she needed to visit was after her intrusion into Robin's mind. Her emotions had gone haywire for nearly a week thinking Slade was back.

But now… was her own mind confused over what was happening between her and Beast Boy? It should have been black and white. She did not love Beast Boy, she did not want to be his mate, she didn't even want to be _associated_ with the beast. But every time she got close to either of them, her resolve shattered, and she ended up half naked and being "pleasured," as Beast Boy had so delicately put it. Raven stared down into the glass, looking at her troubled reflection.

Now was as good a time as any. Her own world was in turmoil, and her emotions were chattering on to prove it. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and allowed the sensation of weightlessness to coat her before she was sucked through the portal and into her own mind.

Raven fell into an undignified heap in the middle of Happy's usual, rather _pink,_ location. She cursed before pushing herself upright and holding her head. You would think she would be used to the feeling of sucked through a straw by now, but she still hadn't quite grasped the sensation. She was lucky that she managed to keep her stomach where it belonged.

"What are you doing here?"

Raven looked up into the eyes of a yellow cloaked figure, staring down at her over the rim of her glasses, looking like a librarian who was scolding Raven for being too loud. Raven winced and rubbed dirt from her forehead. "Nice to see you too."

Intelligence sniffed delicately and raised an eyebrow. "I mean no disrespect, but it has been a considerable amount of time since you last visited us, Raven… We were under the impression that you had forgotten your soul was fractured, And, furthermore, I did not think you needed to come into your mind and corral us anymore." She frowned at Raven and blinked a few times, displeased with something. "Although I am glad you are here… perhaps you can shed some light on this… _situation_."

"Situation?" Raven felt her stomach drop to the floor and she stood up. "What _situation_?"

The yellow cloaked figure continued to stare at her, curious. She frowned and shook her head. "You mean to tell me that you do not _know_?"

"Know what?" Raven fought back the sensation of panic. What could have happened _now_?

"Look behind you, Raven." Intelligence motioned behind her and Raven turned to see all the pieces of her fractured soul, lined up in two, even lines, facing each other as if a battle were going to start. Energy crackled and hissed between all of them, waiting to someone to make the wrong move. "There has been a great divide between all of us since the arrival of… _him_."

Him? Raven had no male emotions, they were all mirror images of herself, pieces of her whole. Why would Intelligence suggest that she have a male _here _in her mind? She looked at her near twin and frowned. "_Him_?"

"Ah… that's right. You wouldn't know about that seeing as you never visit…" Her tone turned condescending, and she took off down the field, making Raven follow her. There were times when Intelligence was almost impossible to tolerate, and _that _was _certainly _her human side talking. She sniffed again and weaved through a few flower fields as they approached her other emotions. "It appears as though one of your more… _baser _emotions has gone through a bit of a transformation."

"My… baser emotions…?" Raven's eyebrows knitted together as she thought. She rarely saw those pieces of her soul, they functioned on a level that didn't require her constant attention. They were all a little primordial, the base instincts of survival, and without them, Raven's mind would have been in complete chaos. Rage walked the fine line between her baser emotions and her refined ones, and she was case and point of what happened when balance was skewed. "Like what?"

"You'll see for yourself." Intelligence stopped at the edge of the two lines of emotions, staring at each of them with the same librarian look she gave Raven. None of her emotions looked too pleased to see Intelligence, Happy least of all. "Look who came to visit us."

"Raven." Was the joint greeting from all of them. Raven nodded in response.

"You know, you've got a lot of nerve showing up after letting _him _in here." Bravery cocked a hip to the side and glared. "Do you _know _what we've had to put up with? Do you _know _what you've caused?"

"Stop being so _mean_!" Happy stuck out her tongue and leaned back on her heels. "It's a good thing he's here. Right, Raven?"

"Er…" Raven took a half step back at stared at her emotions.

"It's good that he's here? _Why_! So he can hold dominion over us? Enslave us like our father! We are nothing to him but cattle, ripe for breeding. Do you even _hear _yourself?" Rage's hands were trembling as black magic gathered at her fingertips. Raven glared at her, but Rage just snarled back. That was not good. Rage usually backed down from Raven. If she was acting out, then it was not a good indication of the state of her mind.

"He'll never like us anyway… we should just stop now, before we get hurt." Timid was hiding behind Brave, looking at Happy as if the girl was going to strangle her. Raven pinched the bridge of her nose and wondered why in hell she needed all of these silly emotions.

"We should just tell him to fuck off and be done with this!"

That was enough. Raven wasn't going to get _anywhere _with her emotions if she couldn't figure out what in the _hell _they were arguing about. She held up her hands and forced all of them to stop talking. "_Who is him_?"

"Me."

Raven felt her stomach drop at the sound of the voice and she whipped around to find Beast Boy standing next to Intelligence. He smiled at her and took a few, cautious steps forward. "It's been a while since we've seen each other, Raven… it's no surprise you do not recognize me." He held his hands out in front of him, examining them. "I hardly recognize myself."

Raven's heart had found its way into her throat and she had to force herself to breathe. "Who… who are you?"

He smiled that slow, predatory smile the beast gave her so often, and dipped his head closer to her. "Desire, Raven… Desire."

"But… I…" Her eyes darted from Desire to all of her emotions, who were either watching her expectantly or angrily. No _wonder _there was a full-fledged war going on in her mind. Her emotions were transforming, metamorphosing into something both they and Raven didn't understand.

Intelligence raised a hand to stop her from speaking. "To deny your baser instincts is to deny yourself, Raven… in denying yourself you have forced Desire to assume a role that you… well… desire."

"I like this form actually…" Desire pressed close to her and stared down into her eyes, touching her chin. It even _smelled _like Beast Boy. "You've never truly let me out before… but I can feel you tremble under my touch… turn wet with your desire for this body. It's the first time in _years _you've truly let me be free. I think I like my new freedom." His mouth ghosted over her lips. "And I think you do too."

Raven pushed him off her and glared. "No. I don't."

"Is that so…?" Desire, unlike Beast Boy, did not know when to stop. It was pure emotion that fueled his actions, and it wanted everything it never had before. Desire leaned down and kissed Raven deeply, tracing his hands along her back.

Raven shoved at Desire and glared. "Back off." Desire just smiled back at her.

"Awe…" Happy whined a little before coming up behind Raven. "But I like him here! He makes things interesting." She nearly purred with contentment.

"That's enough, out of all of you." Raven snarled at all her emotions, and Timid hid in the folds of Bravery's cloak. She pointed toward Desire. "_This _changes _nothing._ Do you understand? Whatever has happened in my own world should not affect you in any way. Get a hold of yourselves and stop this… this… _nonsense_."

"Changes… nothing?" Intelligence raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "Clearly you haven't taken a very good look at all of your emotions, Raven. Love, will you come here?"

Behind Happy was Love, who was usually glowing with platonic love for her friends, but she caught Raven's eye and glared, as if insulted. Cursing under her breath, Love turned away from Raven and made her way toward Intelligence. "You wanted something?"

Raven raised an eyebrow. What was with her emotions? They _never _talked back, except for Rage, but she was a breed all her own.

Desire smiled down at her and clamped a hand on her shoulder. "You should forgive her rudeness. She just feels a little… let down, and a bit ignored."

Raven pushed his hand away from her. "I don't need you telling me that."

"It's not just that!" Love snapped at Desire and moved closer to face Raven. Tears had gathered in her eyes and the sight shocked Raven so much she had to take a step back. "You never ignore me, Raven. You might not always acknowledge me, but you have _never_ ignored me!" She sniffled and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "But look at what you're doing to me!" She pulled down her hood and Raven gasped.

Her hair was the same bright shade of green as Beast Boy's, and her ears had started to pinch at the tip, looking just like his elfin ears. Was she suffering the same transformation as Desire? Were _all _her emotions metamorphosing into this same image? And if that was the case, how did Raven make it stop? Raven ran her hands through her hair and cursed. What was happening to _her_?

"Look what you're making us do! Look what you've done to Desire and Love!" Rage pushed Bravery aside and stormed up to Raven, hissing and spitting like a cobra. "You're turning us into images of _him_. Disgusting. You can't even stop or control what's happening to us, and yet you want to issue orders around. You don't _care_ about us."

"What is your problem?" Raven shoved at Rage's shoulders and pushed her back in line. "It's _not my fault_ that this is happening!"

"You heard Intelligence. You are denying your emotions and forcing them to become… _that_." Rage pointed at Desire. He just shrugged in response, but Rage continued to snarl. "Is that what you want from us? To become images of something you can't understand or accept? All because of that stupid Beast Boy?"

"Don't call him stupid!" Happy pushed her way through the crowd and pressed close to her. "What do you understand about Beast Boy?"

"Enough to know that he will dominate us! You saw what lived inside him! We cannot control that… that… _animal_. He's a beast and he cannot become a part of us."

Intelligence snorted and rolled her eyes. "You're one to talk, Rage."

"ENOUGH!" Raven screamed at the top of her lungs and glared at her emotions. "Stop this, right now! I will figure out exactly what is going on and how we can fix this… _situation_. Until then, I expect all of you to behave… _correctly_." She thought about that for a moment before wincing. "Or at least well enough."

"No!" Rage pushed back at Raven's shoulders and she fell to the ground, glaring up at her. "You do not understand what has happened! You do not want to care about us! We are a burden to you! I will not let our body and our mind and our _soul _to become part of that _thing_!"

Raven snarled and threw her weight into Rage, tackling the girl into some of her other emotions. She grabbed Rage's fists and yanked them above her head. "You do not have a say! This is my body, _my _choice, and you are not going to dictate what I can and cannot do. You follow _my _orders, now _back off!_" Raven let her eyes grow red and she hissed at her emotions. Everyone took a step back, leaving plenty of space between the two of them.

Raven crawled off Rage's body and stood, glaring at all of her emotions, they all took another step back, trying desperately to avoid being caught in her crossfire. "Now, before I go and leave you all to _behave_ by yourselves. I need to know one question… which one of you branded Beast Boy? He carries the outline of a raven on his right wrist."

The emotions looked from each other to Raven and back again. Desire stepped up to her and smiled slowly, placing a hand on her shoulder again. "Raven… none of us here have the power to change anything in your realm, we can fuel your powers help your soul balance, but we cannot change… unfortunately, the only person who could have done such a thing… was you."

Raven felt her heart fall into her stomach, and her eyes darted from Desire to Love and back again. Her eyes slid close and she fought against another wave of panic. "Fuck."

Intelligence snorted indelicately, and Raven could hear her moving away from the other emotions. "I believe that is the appropriate response."

)O(

_So… I am so sorry for several things. One, the delay in getting this chapter two you, I was fighting with my frustration of being consumed by the beast's character. So, I'm trying to focus the story back onto Raven and Beast Boy, and progress everything where it needs to go. Secondly, I am sorry for the brevity of this chapter. I wanted to let everyone know that I didn't forget about this story, and I was a little worried that this last scene was a bit of an info dump, so I didn't want to overload.  
I am not exactly _fond_ of trips to Raven's mind (I feel it's a bit cliché, and I always worry that I'm going to muck it up), so I hope it didn't disappoint.  
Whew! I promise there'll be much more (and it'll happen much quicker, now that I've found my focus again) updated soon! Thanks again, and please leave a review! I love to hear your thoughts!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Primeval  
**Chapter Eight

)O(

There was no way Raven could avoid Beast Boy now, and no way she would let him avoid her. Her soul was in literal chaos, breaking apart and warring between each other. All because of _him_ and the beast, and what they were doing to her. Did she feel _nothing_ for him? Or, did she feel everything for him, but couldn't admit it to herself? Her pieces of soul had given her a very candid look inside herself, and now she doubted nearly everything, including whether or not her friendship with Beast Boy was just that.

And all of this was due to a few _wrong _decisions with Beast Boy and the beast. Ugh. She was going to pound some sense into both of them if it was the last thing she did.

Raven spent most of the following morning huddled in her usual corner in the great room, waiting for Beast Boy to appear. Cyborg came in and watched TV, Robin joined him for a moment, and Starfire (who was the least "morning-person" out of all the Titans) stumbled in and grabbed a jar of mayonnaise out of the fridge. That was shortly followed by a long string of Tameranian expletives. Mustard was always her drink of choice in the morning, and the fridge should know that by now.

Raven sighed and leaned back into her corner, watching her friends. Where was Beast Boy? He was usually crammed in between Robin and Cyborg, whining about Saturday morning cartoons. But it was nearing one in the afternoon, and he hadn't even poked a toe in.

Some mixture of guilt and panic rose into her throat and strangled her breathing. Was he still upset with her over last night? Not that she blamed him, Raven had given into her own primal side of emotions and ended up half-naked under the beast, who Beast Boy was trying to fight on every step of the whole "mating ritual". Raven had no intention of even conversing with the beast, but it was as if all sanity left her the moment he appeared. He was brutal, possessive, angry, and completely sexual, and he knew how to twist and bend her emotions and soul to make her forget that he was Beast Boy's primal side, and make her forget that he only wanted her body.

Or so he said.

"Cyborg."

Raven pulled herself from her thoughts and looked up at Beast Boy, staring. He was dressed in street clothes, a silent indication that he wanted a day off. Raven winced and watched him move toward his friends, giving no sign that he wanted to see or talk to her. That hurt even more.  
Cyborg looked over the back of the sofa at him, and his lips twitched as if he were going to make the "heroes don't get a day off" speech that he and Robin must have known by heart. Thank the Goddess that Beast Boy's stare kept him from opening his mouth. Otherwise the two of them might be there all afternoon. "What's up, BB?"

"Can I borrow the T-Car? I have to run some errands."

There was a low, slow silence between all their friends, as if someone had made a very poor, off-color joke. Beast Boy wasn't a _terrible _driver, but he certainly wasn't the best. And the last time he took the T-Car, parallel parking had proven a most formidable foe. Cyborg's eyes narrowed and his fingers threatened to strangle an innocent sofa cushion. "You nicked her bumper two weeks ago."

"It was an accident, and I helped you fix it." Beast Boy put on the face that indicated he might start whining. "Please? I promise I'll be good with her. I'll even make sure I park her in a ramp."

"Can I come with you?" Raven jumped down from her ledge and looked at both of her friends. Cyborg looked relieved, but Beast Boy looked as though he were about to have a heart attack. He must have wanted some time away from her, and she threw a wrench into that plan. "I need to run some errands too, and I promise that I'll watch his driving carefully, Cy."

"Well… that makes me feel a little better." He seemed to mull that thought for a moment before looking back at Beast Boy. "You can take her, but only if Raven comes with you."

"But… I… ugh." Beast Boy's lip curled up into a snarl before he turned away and started for the door. "Uh… whatever. I don't care."

Ow. Raven winced visibly, and Cyborg must have seen it, because she could feel his anger wash through the room. He grabbed Beast Boy's shoulder and pulled. "Dude. What is your _problem_? You've been acting weird since yesterday, you won't talk to any of use, and you nearly chewed off Robin's head because he was close to Raven!" Color flooded Beast Boy's face and he glared at her. Cyborg sighed and dropped his hands. "Look, I don't know what is going on, and I know you and Raven don't always get along, but this is ridiculous. I mean…" He drifted off and looked over at Raven, who was shaking her head. This did not need to be brought to the surface. Not today.

He sighed again and rolled his eyes, falling back into the sofa, clearly giving up on the two of them. "Look, whatever happened between you two, maybe you should just apologize and make up. You two are friends, and nothing should tear you apart like this. That's all I'm saying." He turned back to the television and tossed his keys over his head. "Be gentle with her."

Raven felt a shiver run down her spine, and she had the distinct feeling that Cyborg was not talking about his precious car. She caught Beast Boy's eyes and he glared at her before walking into the hall. She followed him into the darkness, but he barely paid any attention to her, and was instead attempting to text someone on his phone. Since when did he need a phone? And who in the world was he _texting_? Raven felt something sour and spiny rise into her throat and she had a sudden desire to commit homicide.

Beast Boy looked up from his cell phone and glanced down her body. Raven caught the minute flash of appreciation before he turned away again, frowning. "Go put on your street clothes, I'm not wearing my uniform, and you shouldn't either. I don't want to attract attention today."

Raven blinked at him. "Oh…kay… where are we going today?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Out."

"Is there a reason you're being a total douche?" Raven cocked her hip to the side and crossed her arms over her chest.

He jerked slightly, surprised by her comment, and looked up. "I _wonder_…" His eyes narrowed and he started down the hall, leading the way to Raven's room. She could feel his unbridled emotions reach out and lash at her, but it felt like nothing compared to her own soul raging inside herself. What was he doing to her, and why was she just _letting _him get away with it?  
Beast Boy threw open the door to her room and basically tossed her inside. "After I told you that it was probably a good idea that you leave, after I tried to explain how _dangerous_ this thing is, I somehow lose my memories. And when I come to, you are half naked beneath me, my fingers and buried in your body, and I have no recollection of how in hell I got there." He leaned against the back of the door and stared at her, his eyes filled with green fire. "So, _yeah_, I am being kind of a douche. But I kinda feel as though I have the right."

"Go by yourself then." Raven glared at him, but something inside her knew he was right. She caved the moment the beast exerted dominance, and she submitted like a bitch in heat. She was pathetic, but Beast Boy could have at least been a little more tactful. "You don't trust me and you don't believe me, and I don't need to be treated like this."

"How can I believe you when you were being… _pleasured_… by him?" He ran his hands through his hair and looked away, still snarling. That sour, spiny feeling started to permeate the room and Raven stared at him, worried. He shook he head and looked back at her. "I can't even work up the courage to get close to you, let alone kiss you. And yet somehow he manages to _undress_ you in a matter of minutes."

Jealousy. That's what that feeling was. Raven moved away from him, pretending as if she were going for the clothes in her closet. He was jealous of what the beast could do, of the things that had happened between her and him. Beast Boy wanted to be the one who dominated and controlled, and in turn he would have been the one who controlled his mate. Raven fought back a curse. _Seriously?_ What had she gotten herself into?

"I don't _want_ it to happen." Raven sighed and stared at Beast Boy. "You know that, right?"

"No." He leaned back on his heels and watched her. "To be perfectly honest, I don't. Because the few times you've encountered that… _thing_, you've caved under his pressure. You talked with him, you kissed him, and worst of all, you let him _touch_ you. Like you wanted it."

"You really are a douche." Raven narrowed her eyes and pressed close to him. "And just in case you forgot, _you_ started what happened in the woods. _You_ were the one who touched me and who 'ate me out' as you so _tactfully _put it." His face colored and his hands started to shake. Good, let him be angry, then maybe he'll have an _inkling_ of what she felt right now. "You did all those things, not him."

"You didn't have to let him finish."

Raven stepped back and returned to her closet. "You didn't have to start them either."

"Shut up and get dressed." Beast Boy turned around and gave her a bit of privacy as she changed. "I've got places to go and you're holding me up."

"_Fine_." Raven mumbled out something rude and pulled a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from her closet. She dressed quickly and started for her door. Why in the world was she agreeing to this? After all the things he had just said to her, and she said to him, she thought that going out with him was _okay_? Goddess, she was just an idiot. "Come on, let's go… _out_… or where ever the hell you need to go."

"Hmph." Garfield followed her into the hall and down the stairs, keeping unusually silent. Emotions rattled like between them like needles, stabbing and scratching at each other, trying to force harm. They got into the T-Car without saying a word and drove into downtown. The clouds and rain still hung around the sky from yesterday, and rain dripped down in a fine mist. It would have been beautiful, if the car wasn't filled with the thick, sticky feelings of what had transpired last night.

"Are you going to talk to me about this?"

Beast Boy's words ripped through Raven and she turned to look at him, frowning. Oh, _now_ he wanted to have a conversation? Goddess help her not to kill him. "I thought we tried that and it ended up in us yelling at each other." She leaned back into the seat and crossed her arms over her chest, watching as the city flew by the windows. "So, my answer is no." There was a long pause and the city started to fade into suburbs. "Where are we going?"

"I ordered a comic and I have to pick it up."

Raven rolled her eyes. "All of _that_ nonsense for a _comic book_?" She turned and looked at him, and something in her stomach turned and twisted at the sight. His lips were quivering and his hands were gripping the steering wheel, as if he was fighting something inside him. His knuckles were almost white with pressure and his eyes were glazed. What was going on that he would be so… _frustrated_? "We're not going out for _just_ a comic book, are we?"

"There's…" He trailed off and shook his head. "Never mind. It's none of your business anyway."

"Fine. I really don't give a damn." She frowned and let the silence wash over them again.

"Fine." Garfield pulled down a side street and parked in front of a brightly painted store, where the windows were filled with "collectibles" and posters. Raven fought back a shiver, the stench of nerd could be smelled from a mile away. Beast Boy unbuckled himself and looked over at her, almost snarling. "I would really appreciate it if you didn't come in."

Goddess! What was his problem today? His usual disregard for her was enough to make her want to kill him, but this was a hundred times _worse_. It was as if he was purposefully trying to hurt or anger her, like there was something he was trying to keep from her, and that just angered her even more.

"I'm coming in now, just because you told me not to." Raven got out of the car and sneered.

"You're such a…" Beast Boy shook his head and trailed off, frowning. Well, Raven had to give him credit for at least _trying _to restrain himself. He turned away from her and started for the comic book shop, muttering under his breath. "Forget it."

They walked inside and Beast Boy moved away from her at the first available moment. Raven stood in the corner and watched as he pretended to peruse a few display cases before walking up to the counter. There was a short redheaded girl behind the counter, fidgeting with a few books. She looked up and smiled at Beast Boy, muttering out a hello. Oh Goddess, this will be awkward, uncomfortable, and _priceless_. Raven moved a little closer to them and listened as they talked.

Beast Boy picked up his comic. The girl complimented him on his battle the other day. He blushed. They laughed about something Raven didn't even understand… ugh, this was so boring. Beast Boy complimented her necklace, which hung _dangerously _close to a piece of "off-limits" anatomy. Her hand moved across the counter and touched a woven bracelet on Beast Boy's wrist. They were _touching_?

Then Raven felt it: that thick, sticky, spiny feeling that started in her stomach and clawed its way to her chest. _Jealousy_. Everything seemed completely different to her now. She knew that look, the way the girl played with her hair, the biting of her lower lip…

She was _flirting_.

With Beast Boy.

With Raven's mate.

Anger and jealously spread through her system before she had a chance to stop it, and the shockwave of her powers rippled through the store, upending bookshelves and shattering the glass in the display case. The redhead cursed and jumped away from Beast Boy looking around the store in fright. She locked eyes with Raven, who was almost positive that her extra set of eyes were glowing.

Beast Boy whipped around to glare at her. "Raven!"

"We're leaving now!" Raven stormed up to him and grabbed his arm. She could feel the shock and surprise from the girl behind the counter, but Raven chose not to acknowledge her. She was insignificant, and Beast Boy needed to have a very _stern _talking to. "Right now. Let's go."

"But…" He tried to say something else but Raven had already pulled him from the store and around the corner into an alleyway. Her fingers probably bruised his arm, but that was his own damn fault. If he hadn't been flirting with that stupid redhead, this never would have happened. Beast Boy yanked himself from her grip and glared. "What was _that _about?"

"What was _that_ about? What do you mean? I would like to know what in _hell _you think you were doing? And with that… that… _girl_?" Anger and frustration ripped the through air and Raven threw up a barrier to protect them from prying eyes and ears.

"Her name is Anna. And she's really nice, unlike some people I know."

"I don't care if she's a fucking queen and I'm a tyrannical ruler." Raven shoved at his shoulders. "You were flirting with her!"

"She started it." Beast Boy pressed close to Raven and snarled.

"You didn't have to finish it!"

"How is that any different than what you do with the beast?"

"Do _not_ go there! You know it's different, _she_ was an entirely different person."

"Which I'll never get to speak to again, by the way. Thanks for ruining another potential date."

Raven felt the steam before she had a chance to stop it and she shoved him so hard he fell back against the wall. "_Potential date_? What in the fuck do you think you're _doing_? You don't _get _a potential date, you've claimed me. You already told me that you made that decision and that it was _final_."

"Don't act like you even _want_ to be claimed now." He growled down at her, and Raven could see the green fire raging in his eyes. He was fighting the beast, fighting his feelings, fighting everything about himself. And something about his anger aroused Raven. Her toes curled and her stomach knotted, and she wanted nothing more that to rub her body up and down his, wallowing in his scent. She was _so sick._

"You keep telling me how you want to stop this, how you can't be my mate, and yet you fall for the beast. You let _him _do things to you that you would never let me. What do you expect me to think, Raven? That eventually you'll come around?" He leaned back against the wall and cursed loudly. "I know that won't even happen, so if you don't want me I'll find someone who will!"

Raven felt the words leave her mouth before she had a chance to stop them: "I want you!"

To her surprise, Beast Boy didn't look impressed, and he shook his head. "Then prove it. Give me some sign that you actually _want _me. Let me know that you're not just trying to string me along."

"You're trying to goad me into mating with you." Raven gnashed her teeth at him. "It won't work."

"I'm not trying to goad you into mating with me, I'm trying to goad you into at least kissing me. Or looking at me in some way that doesn't say you're annoyed." He crossed his arms over his chest. "At least _she _flirted with me. You don't even ask me for the time of day without thinking I'm a nuisance."

"That's not true!"

"Then _prove it_. Show me I'm wrong!"

Raven, in a fit of anger, pressed close to him and slid her knee in between his thighs. Desire and Love were already threading through her system, fueling her actions. "You can't handle me." Raven had to lean on her tip toes to reach his mouth, and she slid her tongue along his lower lip, tasting his anger and apprehension and surprise. "You keep saying how you want to kiss me… well, here's your chance. And what are you doing? _Nothing_."

"Shut up." He leaned down in to her mouth and kissed her roughly. It was hot and heavy, all lips and teeth and tongue. He tasted of fresh mountain air and early morning dew and anger and passion and possession all rolled into one. It was a million times better than she could have ever imagined, and Raven couldn't stop herself from going back for seconds. This time, she almost lost her hold on her shielding barrier.

"Stop this." Beast Boy turned and slammed her against the wall, crushing strands of her hair in his fists. "We need to stop this."

"Why?" Raven couldn't stop the emotions from pouring out of her like a slow leak in a pool. She was draining herself, and it felt… _good_. Forbidden, a little dark… but there was something about it that made her feel like a woman. That made her feel wanted, like a _mate. _Her hands slid down his chest and smoothed over the bulge in his jeans, watching his eyes as his pupils dilated.

His head fell back and he groaned toward the sky. "Fuck, Raven… what are you doing?"

"Touching you."

"Stop it… you're going to make me lose control." He was panting like a dog in heat, his hips leaning into her touch as she stroked him through his jeans. Raven leaned forward and slid her tongue along his neck, tracing his pulse. Beast Boy grunted and he grabbed her roughly. "Stop it. I can't control myself." He bit and snarled and scratched at her, siphoning breath from her lungs and petting her roughly.

There was a change in the emotions and the musky scent of adrenaline and lust drenched the air around her. Raven looked up at him to watch as he pulled at her jeans. "Here. Right now. You want me to want you? Then, keep your barrier up, Raven. Because I am claiming you right here if I have to."

"Beast Boy…" The rest of her protest came out like a jumbled guttural sound and he thrust his fingers inside her. If he was going to keep torturing her like this, she wasn't even sure how long her will would hold out, or even if she could continue to hold the barrier.

He dropped his pants low enough to release himself and picked Raven up against the wall. There was a moment of anticipation and heat as he pressed against her, and then he entered her, ripping through her innocence. It burned and she bit into his neck to keep from screaming. Goddess help her if her barrier fell, she had to focus.

He muttered some half-assed apology into her neck, gave her a moment to adjust to his size, and then his hands tightened on her hips and he moved. He wasn't gentle, or innocent, or sweet, or anything that Raven ever would have imagined coming from him. He was primordial, and almost cruel or selfish. He pounded into her harshly, trying to give her pleasure as he sought his own release.

This was a _fucking _disaster. Everything should have gone wrong. She was in pain, brick cut into her skin, the barrier should have dropped… but here she was, in the middle of a public street, shielded only by a few layers of magic, and she was consummating her relationship with Beast Boy.

But, _Goddess_, he knew how to please her.

He moved her hips, adjusted her so that he hit everything all at once, and she shivered with anticipation and release. Again and again. She tried to count, tried to focus on the barrier, there was no way to stop the waves of pleasure wracking her body one by one. She was no longer sure if she was being pleasured or tortured. "_Fuck._"

"God. Yes." He snarled at her and nuzzled her head to the side, their sweat mingling as their skin touched. "Show me your neck." He was panting, and Raven could feel the painful burn of near release between them. "I need your submission, Raven. Let me bite you."

Raven did as she was told and tilted her head to the side. He bit down into the soft flesh where her shoulder and neck met, and Raven shattered into a million pieces. She screamed as he pounded into her, forcing himself through his own release. There was a moment of sweet post-coital ecstasy before Raven realized exactly what they'd done.

They mated.

_In public_.

)O(

_Once again… I sincerely apologize for the tardiness of this chapter, and for its brevity. But I hope you will forgive me and please leave a review. I love to hear what you're thinking and how you feel. Thanks again for reading!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Primeval  
**Chapter Nine

)O(

"Holy shit."

"Yeah… that pretty much sums this up." Raven closed her eyes and leaned back against the brick wall behind her, trying not to focus on the sick, sticky feeling between her and Beast Boy. What had they _done_? They acted like stupid teenage kids feeding off hormones instead of logic, and now they'd created a world of trouble for themselves. Raven moved against him, trying to push his suddenly heavy weight off of her ribcage. "Beast Boy, please put me down and hand me my pants." She felt the brick move beneath her back and her feet touched the moist asphalt beneath her.

The silence was deafening. Beast Boy was adjusting himself, pushing hair out of his eyes, and casting sidelong glances at her at if he expected her to say something rude about his sexual prowess. Raven at this point couldn't care less if he was the world's greatest lover or not, she was furious with herself, furious with the pieces of her soul (Desire primarily), but most of all, she was furious with Beast Boy. He let the emotions between them burn too hot and too fast, and look at the consequences: public sexual intercourse. She should go to jail for indecent exposure.

"You're not talking."

Raven looked over at him. He was smiling as he watched her try to smooth her hair back into something relatively normal. It felt strange, having him look at her like that, with that strange, soft look in his eyes. The same look that the heroes got in cheesy romance movies. Ugh. _Why her_? "No. I'm not. Do you expect me to?"

His smile fell and he sighed and looked away, rolling his eyes. "Actually? Yeah, I do. We just… _mated _in an alley after a nasty fight, and you have nothing to say about it? No rude quips against me? No apologies or excuses?"

"Did you just say _excuses_?" Raven felt the red cross her eyes and the words bubble up into her throat before she had a chance to stop either one. "I'm sorry, are you insinuating that this was _my_ fault? That _I_ was the one that started this? That I was blinded by your masculinity, falling at your feet, begging you to take my virginity in a public place?"

Beast Boy paled and he took a step closer to her. "You are… were…"

Raven growled. "_Empath_, Beast Boy. I don't like to get close to a whole lot of people, and they don't usually like to get close to me. You seem to be the exception, _unfortunately._" She pushed past him and finally dropped the barrier shielding them, sending a silent "thank you" to whatever Goddess helped her keep it up. Because mating with Beast Boy was bad enough, imagine if the public knew all about their coitus. "Well, you got what you wanted, didn't you? We're mates now, and I'm guessing there isn't a whole lot I can do to reverse it."

She felt the shockwave of Beast Boy's rage and looked over at him, not caring whether or not she had made him angry. He forced her into this, gave her no choice, left her no option of escape, so what did he expect from her? Compliance? A weary acceptance of this fate _he _gave her?

"You're so… _emotionless _about it. About _us._ Like what you said and what we just did didn't even matter to you." He snarled at her and grabbed her wrist, preventing her escape. "I didn't fuck you, Raven. _We_ mated. We did that _together_. Don't you dare try to blame all of that on me, not when you were touching me like you were and kissing me like you were. _You _were _asking_ for it." His hand tightened and he pulled her closer. "You _moaned_, Raven. And writhed, and hissed, and scratched… and you gave me your submission."

"Because you asked for it, not because commanded it from me." Raven snarled up at him, tugging at her wrist. "Let me go. I'm not your bitch, you cannot control me."

He slammed her against the wall and Raven saw the dark green fire burn to life in his eyes. The beast was struggling to get to the surface, to have a say in this conversation and make himself heard. "You gave me your submission. You're already my bitch."

"Like hell." Raven tried not to think about the way her clothes suddenly felt uncomfortable, or the feel of his thighs pressed against hers, or the way he fit so nicely into her body. She tried desperately not to notice the tousled, sweat-dampened hair falling into his eyes. His anger and frustration were sending her emotions into overdrive again. She tightened her lips and snarled up at him. "I refuse to be."

"You can't _refuse._" Beast Boy raised the hem of her shirt and touched her brand, watching her face as her eyes closed and her lips parted in a breathless moan. "You react to my touch. _My_ brand. My kiss." He leaned down and caught the muffled sound of her moans on his own lips. "You're my mate, Raven. Don't tell me you're not."

Raven pulled away from him and glared. "I don't want this."

"Bullshit. You stood there, touching me and kissing me, and telling me _to my face _that you want me. And now… all the sudden you don't? You can tell me that you don't want me, but I know the truth." He slid his hands over the fabric on her jeans, rubbing his palm against her core. Raven felt her hips buck against his touch and she cursed herself. "You let me eat you, Raven. You mated with me in an alley. Don't you dare tell me you don't want this."

"_I don't want this_." She pushed at his shoulders and put space between them. "I don't know how to get it through to you that I don't want this. Yes, I made a stupid mistake in letting you… fuck me and telling you that I wanted you… but that's all it was, a stupid mistake, and it doesn't mean I want it to happen ever again. I am not your mate, I am not your bitch, I'm your friend and your teammate, and it's going to stay that way."

Gathering as much courage as she could, she pushed past him and started for the car, not giving a second glance towards the destroyed shop front. Somewhere in the distance, Raven could hear sirens. Probably the police in response to the damage. Ugh, how was she going to explain that to her teammates? "Now that we've both effectively pissed each other off, let's go home. I'd like to pretend for a few moments that this never happened and I'm just mad at you for something _else_ stupid you did."

"You're not going to talk about this? About us? About your total refusal of me?" He chased after her grabbed her arm and tugged her close to him, dropping his voice to a whisper. His eyes darted around looking for any eavesdroppers, or someone who might have figure out what happened beneath those thin layers of magic in the alley. "The brand aside, the ritual aside, our… sexual _frustration_ aside, you can't ignore that we just mated. _In public_. We fucked against an alley wall, Raven. What does that mean to you?"

"To me? It means we're both idiots and we pushed each other too far, and now we're both denying how each of us feels. You don't like that I'm angry and I don't like that you're hurt. Now, let me go. I want to go home." She shook his hand off of her arm and opened the passenger side door, sliding into the confines of the car.

Beast Boy growled and got in on the driver's side, slamming the door behind him. The tension filled the car until it felt like it was a ticking time bomb, just waiting for the spark to set it off. Beast Boy leaned back into his seat and stared at her, his fingers clenching and unclenching. "I _cannot _believe you, Raven. Really. You're so damn… _fickle _with your emotions. One minute you _can't_ love me, the next you simply don't, and after that… I'm not even sure you want to be my friend."

"Stop being melodramatic." Raven rolled her eyes and leaned back into her seat.

"How can I _not _be?" He started the car but didn't move, and instead watched as a few police interceptors pulled into the parking lot, followed by a news van. "You don't even seem to care about what happened, except that you think we're both idiots because we actually _felt _something for each other and acted on it."

"We _are _idiots, Beast Boy. We _fucked_ in an alley. We didn't make love or have sex, we _fucked_. It was purely hormonal, and I don't know how I feel about that just yet." Raven pinched the bridge of her nose and looked away, watching as a fire truck and another news van approached the comic book store. Great, this day couldn't get any worse. Now _everyone _was going to know about Raven's jealous outburst. "Can you please drive? I would _really _like to not be around when they figure out what I did to the comic book store."

"Fine." He sighed and started the car, pulling onto the street, but not heading back to the tower. He turned onto a side street that slithered up toward the foothills to the mountains, far away from the bay. "But I'm not going home, and neither are you, until we talk about this and figure something out."

"What is there to talk about? You fucked me in an alley." She crossed her arms over her chest and watched as the houses and building started to grow farther and farther apart. How far away was he going to take her? "Thanks, by the way, for checking about my sexual status. That wasn't _exactly_ how I planned to lose my virginity." She smelled the acrid spike of his anger and turned away.

"What did you expect out of me, Raven? You… you… egged me on." He turned down another side road, taking her away from any civilization and into the national forest. Not good. "You _let_ me fuck you in an alley. You were _petting_ me and _touching_ me and _teasing_ me. I couldn't control myself or the beast, and we both just _reacted._"

Raven felt the snarl form before she could stop it and she whipped around to look at him. "Don't blame this on the beast! That was _you_. You fucked me. No one else."

"Because I wanted to!"

"Well, clearly we were both _not thinking_, because I let you fuck me."

"Because _you_ wanted to?"

Raven felt the question hang like a blade in the air. "I don't know."

"You do too." He slammed the steering wheel and cursed. The tension turned stifling, as they were both been pushed past the breaking point. "_Why_? Why do you let that _thing_ touch you, kiss you, eat you, _brand _you, and it's okay? But you finally give into your feelings for me, and it's as if the world is going to end. He's a _beast _Raven, and you just let him conquer you."

"He didn't _conquer_ me." Raven growled and looked away. "I'm still fighting it."

"He continues to _brand you_. I know, I saw it last night. The brand is all the way from your stomach to your spine, and I didn't do _that._" Beast Boy shook his head and growled back at her. "That's a mark of territory, Raven! How is that _not_ considered conquering?"

Volatile heat boiled between them and Raven spoke before she could hold her own tongue. "Look at your own goddamn wrist, Beast Boy. My soul hasn't exactly been passive during this whole debacle either." Raven winced as soon as she pointed out her own brand on his skin. _Why_? Why did she tell him? True, he would have figured it out eventually, but that didn't mean that she had to tell him _now_, when they were fighting. And more importantly, when she was fighting this whole situation.

His eyes slid from the road to his right wrist and back again. Minutes passed as he slowly put the pieces together, finally understanding what the mark was. "That's… that's _yours_?"

"Yes." She sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead, trying not to look at him. She didn't know that it was even possible, but the situation had just gotten a hundred times more embarrassing, and a hundred times more frustrating. "I'm not the only one being conquered. My powers reached out and branded you at _some point_. Don't ask me when, don't ask me how, because I'm _still _trying to figure that out for myself."

There was a long, heavy pause between them, neither one daring to speak. If either of them said the wrong thing, then their emotions would set off the bomb. Beast Boy swallowed and glanced over at her, his voice barely above a whisper. "So, what does this mean?"

"I don't know." Raven sighed and leaned against the door. "I honestly don't know."

"I think you do. I think you know exactly what this means, Raven. You just don't want to admit to yourself that you might actually care for me."

"As a friend and a comrade, Beast Boy, nothing more." Raven still refused to look at him. The emotions rippling through the car were morphing from tense into volatile with every word she uttered. But she couldn't be bound, not to him or anyone else. Swallowing her reservations, she looked straight at Beast Boy and continued talking. "What we did back there… it was a _mistake_. You made it, I made it, and I refuse to believe that it meant anything more than pure, carnal emotions. Nothing is going to change."

"Fuck you."

Raven felt the air shift and the explosion go off before she had a chance to stop it. He jerked the car to the right, sending them down a secluded road, one that ended in a small hiking trail that meandered through some of the deepest parts of the national forest. It was raining and the trail was defined as "expert", no one would be there. Raven closed her eyes and fought against her own panic. This was _bad_. Why did she let this happen? "Where are you going?"

He grunted, and Raven could see the spark of the beast swimming in his eyes. He was still fighting for control, trying to get out and dominate the situation. Beast Boy parked the car in the deserted parking lot and unbuckled his seatbelt. He was gasping for air, struggling against a pointless fight. Anger and possession struck Raven square in the chest, choking her and sending her body into overdrive again. A wave of heat washed through her limbs and pooled in her stomach, her body reacting without her consent. The day had officially gotten worse.

"Get out. Right now."

Raven reached for the door, her fingers tentative on the handle. If she stepped outside, there was no telling what would happen to her, but her body wouldn't let her stay in the car either. "Gar…"

"Get. Out." He threw open the door, walked around to the other side of the car and yanked her out. "Now. Right now."

"Gar… Stop it." She looked into his eyes, seeing her friend disappear into their depths. She didn't want to face _him_, not here and not now. "You're hurting me."

He pulled her to the front of the car and nearly threw her onto the hood, her body making a strange noise as it connected with the metal. He pressed close to her, pinning her between the hood of the car and his own body. "Shut up, and mate with me."

His lips were on hers before she could stop him, feasting on her mouth as if it were some kind of delicacy. Raven was helpless to respond, and her body wouldn't let her do otherwise. He tasted of a mixture of rage and desire, boiling up from the deepest part of his soul, and Raven wasn't necessarily sure that he was _all _Garfield. In fact, she wasn't sure if there was any Garfield left in him now.

His hands were already grabbing her at her shirt, pulling it over her head with so much force he nearly ripped the seams. He unlatched her bra and cupped her breasts, enjoying their weight in his hands. There was a moment where he tried some awkward attempt at foreplay, but he grew bored and anxious. He didn't want to please her, he wanted to fuck. Whatever tenderness was in him vanished, and he ripped her jeans off of her with painful force. Raven winced and stared up at him, seeing nothing left of her friend. He was all beast.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because you force me to. I've been taunted and teased by you for years, Raven. I've chosen you for my mate, and you've accepted by mating with my host. But now you're refusing me, and that _will not _happen. I want you now. Here. In the rain. Like a beast and a demon." His fingers slipped lower and probed her body, stoking a foreign fire in her without her consent. She knew she didn't want this, but her body reacted oppositely. It wanted everything the beast would offer. She moaned, arched her back, hissed and scratched at arms.

"He had you first, now it's my turn." He smiled something that looked like a sneer and leaned over her, baring his fangs in a show of dominance. "You would not let me make love to you, so I will rut with you like the demon you are." He palmed her hips and spun her around, pressing her hands to the smooth, wet surface of the metal.

Her body was confused, both elated and disgusted by everything he was doing to her. She gasped as his hands slid over her rain-slicked body, delving into hollows she didn't know she had. He was still trying to get her aroused, to make sure she was ready for him. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as his hands covered hers. There was pressure from the searing heat of his body pressed against her own, and then he paused.

His lips feathered over her ear in some small act of gentleness. "Do not fear our union, Raven. But do not forget that I am your mate too and I will have you how and when I want you." He kissed down the column of her neck and bit into the flesh on her shoulder, pinning her into submission. There was a moment of anticipation and pushed himself inside her.

Raven screamed. He groaned into her ear, a sound that was a mixture of pain and pleasure. His teeth tightened on her flesh and he moved savagely against her, each thrust pushing her knees into the car's bumper. She cursed and moaned and screamed and cried, her body both trying to take him and reject him at the same time. The pain was exquisite and the pleasure was brutal. Her brand burned like fire, rippling against her skin with every movement.

His pace quickened, and Raven felt the smoky, airy feeling of near-release. His and hers. He grunted and pushed against her so hard, that her thighs were sure to bruise. Raven cried out, her back arching as he spilled himself inside her. Snarling, the beast moved so his body covered hers, and blanketed it in something that resembled both possession and protection. Making a noise like a content dog, he unlatched his teeth from her shoulder and lapped at the wound he created.

They lay there for what felt like hours, but was undoubtedly minutes, his tongue sliding along the raw marks of his bite. Rain poured down around them, but he didn't move, and Raven was trapped beneath him. What had she done? What had she let him do? She shifted uncomfortably, trying to put some space between them. The beast seemed less than interested in moving, and all her fidgeting did was arouse him again.

Raven growled. "I'm cold."

"You're not." He slid his tongue along the line of her shoulder, now just wanting to taste her. Raven shuddered in revulsion and satisfaction at his ministration. She felt him smile as he felt her reactions to his touch. "You want me to move." He scraped his teeth against her skin, and his fingers moved to find new places to explore on her body. "I want you again."

"No." Raven shifted her shoulders and tried to push him off of her, but the movement sent aftershocks rippling through her body, and she whimpered with the sensations. Why did she react like this, and to _him_? She cursed the new wave of heat growing between them and stilled. The beast groaned and pressed his hips deeper into her, moving slightly with the pull of her body. She growled and looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm done. Get off of me."

He growled low in his throat and his eyes narrowed. "You don't get a say, _Raven_."

"Your host lets me say whatever I want, and _he _listens to me." She shouldered him again, and this time he budged just a little. "Now, _get off of me_."

The sour, spiky feeling of jealousy shot through Raven, and she felt the beast's fingers bite into her hips. He pulled himself from her body and turned her around, pushing her back against the cold steel of the hood. Leaning over her body, he looked into her eyes, scolding her. "My host is pathetic, and you know it. He cannot provide for you the way I can, and is no alpha male. He doesn't even know how to properly fuck our mate. An alley way? _Disgusting_."

"And the hood of a car is any better? You're not exactly making a good case for yourself." She pushed at his arms, putting more space between them. They both needed to breathe before he managed to start the fire between them again. Raven wasn't sure if her body could take any more activity, and one more fucking was probably going to break her. He took a half step back and stared at her, his eyes roaming over her body, sprawled on the hood of the car. His lips pulled up into a slow smile and he leaned back on his heels.

"I'd consider it a better location than a public alley. Our mating should be a private gesture. You, me, and nature." He stood there, naked, wet, and fully aroused, and Raven had to use every ounce of her power and her self control to not react at the sight of him. Her body was betraying her at every step, turning her insides to warm Jell-o as he watched her with a smoldering stare.

Raven tilted her chin up in defiance, and frowned at him. "We shouldn't even _be_ mating. I never asked for this, and I never asked for you."

"That is a lie, and we both know it. You've pined after my host for years. Just because he's oblivious to the signals you send, does not mean I am. I've seen the sidelong glances you've cast at him and smelled your arousal when he gets too close. You've always wanted us, you're just to proud to admit it. But, I can do for you what no one has ever done for you before, Raven. You want me, and your body wants me. You're aroused by the thought of me, strong, virile, and ready to procreate." He sneered and pushed closer to her, breathing in her scent. "I can smell it."

Raven felt anger well up into her chest again. What did he think he was _doing_, toying with her like this? Trying to goad her into thinking she had some kind of feelings for him? He was disgusting, frustrating, and Raven wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. "No. And, for the record, I do not _pine _after Beast Boy. Both of you are nothing more than annoyances."

"Don't deny me or your feelings. It's pointless when we both know the truth…" His fingers dipped into her core again, teasing her. "You're already wet again, Raven, ready for me. You like the feel of my cock inside you, and you want me to fuck you again… don't you?"

"I don't!" She pushed at him and forced him to take another step back, putting much needed space between them. She could feel her body stirring to life of its own accord. How could this happen? She didn't want this between them, and yet her body reacted to every touch and every brush of a sexual promise. Raven slid down the hood of the car and fell into the mud, looking for her clothes. She needed some kind of barrier between them, or at least _something_ to keep him from looking at her as if she were a meal. "Just, go away and leave me alone."

Raven felt the ripple of his emotions, and she barely had a chance to react to them. His hand grabbed her arm and yanked her to her feet so hard that he nearly pulled her arm from her socket. He pressed his face close to her and snarled, baring his fangs. "You will _not_ deny me. Your body is incapable of denying me what I want or need. If I need to fuck you, then you will open your legs and let me fuck you."

"My body doesn't control my mind, and I do not want you, so you will _not _be fucking me again. Now, _get off_." She pushed his hand off of her arm and growled, letting her eyes glow red. The day's events pilled on her shoulders, and if she wasn't careful she would reach her turning point too quickly. And then all it would take was just a few wrong words from the beast to set her off.

"Again!" He grabbed her and threw her into the mud, his body moving so fast he was nearly a blur. He slid over her, snarling and hissing at her as he pinned her down into the mud. His knees were pushing her legs open, exposing her center to him. "I want you again! And you will not deny me what I want. I _will _fuck you."

Raven stared up at him, struggling beneath the weight of his body. Her emotions ripped through her soul, fighting against the dominion he was trying to hold over her. They would not let him control her, no matter how her body and Desire reacted to him. He was too dangerous for her soul. "Stop this! You're throwing a temper tantrum like a child, because you aren't getting what you want."

"I will not be denied what I want. I've been trapped in that body with no sexual release until you came along, Raven. I am hungry for desire, and hungry for your body. Do not deny me this." His hands slid along her body, shaping her and touching her. "Give me this and I will retreat into my host."

"I don't want to give it to you."

"You're lying." His fingers pushed inside her again and Raven's back arched as she cursed. He smiled and moved over her, pinning her even deeper into the mud. "Your body is ready for me again, ready to be thoroughly fucked." He cocked his head to the side and gave her a wolfish smile. "You do not wished to be fucked? Then, let me make love to you."

Raven glared, still fighting against the bonds of his hands. "No!"

He bent down and swirled his tongue along her pulse, ignoring her struggling and her protests. "I'll be gentle. Isn't that what you want from me? You don't want a beast right now… you want a man." He slid his tongue lower, tracing the shape of her clavicle before moving to taste the flesh of her breasts.

"No!" Raven felt Rage rush through her body, pushing at her powers and forcing their release. Her powers poured from the darkest depths of her soul, triggering her flight or fight response, and she pushed his body off of her with such force that he slammed into the bumper of the car. There was a sickening "thud" followed by an even more frightening silence. Raven scrambled away, her knees and hands slipping out from under her. "Just leave me alone!"

"No." The beast slowly picked up his head and snarled at her, reaching up to feel a cut along his lips. He tasted blood and frowned at her, eyes darkening even more. There were a few cuts along his body, and his back was going to be purple with bruises later, but he had pushed her too far. Raven would not let him win, not without a fight. "I will have you again."  
"Not today. Now, give me back Beast Boy!"

"No!" He pushed himself forward and tackled her body, sending them through the tree line and into the forest. They wrestled through the underbrush, snarling and spitting at each other, like animals fighting for dominance. The beast clawed at her body, gaining the upper hand and pushing her against a tree root. "You are always pining after _him_. I'm the one who claimed you! I get you too!"

"I don't _pine_ after Beast Boy! I don't want either of you!" Raven pushed at his chest and rolled them over so she straddled his waist. The fighting wasn't doing anything but arousing the beast even more, and his body pressed against her in a very unusual way. Raven let her eyes glow red and she snarled down at him. "I want to be left alone, by both of you."

"You _need _to be fucked."

"You need to learn to shut up."

He shifted his weight and rolled them over, pinning her hands above her head. There was a flash of an unrecognizable emotion in his eyes, and Raven felt her body still as she stared at him. "Why _him_? _Why?_ He is _weak_, stupid, _childish_, and cannot provide for you the way a _real _mate should. He cannot even defend the territory of his own body, and you somehow find this _suitable_? As if this is how a mate should act? He should own you, protect you… procreate with you, but he simply flirts and _whines_." He growled and shook his head in anger. "This is unacceptable, and he should not belong to you, and you should not want him. Yet, every time _we_ meet you whine and bitch until I give him back. But when you talk to him, you claim you do not want anything to do with him. You are confusing and _fickle_."

"I…" Raven struggled with her how breath and looked away. His words hit too close to a tender wound inside her heart, and she wasn't ready to face it yet. She couldn't face those accusations.

"I need to fuck." He growled again and his knees slid between her thighs, spreading her legs again. Heat burned to life again and Raven felt her body react without her consent again. He pressed against her center and looked her in the eyes. "And you will not lie there and take it, Raven. I am your mate too, and your body will always want mine."

He didn't give her a moment to fight or respond, and he surged forward into her body. Raven moaned, her back arching as he moved inside her. He was harsh and almost angry, as if he were trying to teach her a lesson for her disobedience. Raven screamed as he bit into her shoulder, pinning her into submission again. She had defied him, and she needed to be punished in the only way the beast knew how.

The air around them shifted suddenly, and his pace slowed from his fevered pitch to an almost gentle lull and Raven opened her eyes to watch as his expression morphed into one of a struggle. Behind the beast's fiery green eyes, Raven could see the shadows of her friend. Beast Boy was fighting against the beast, trying to save Raven and keep her from harm. There was a moment as the beast stilled, his eyes shut as if in pain, and then he gasped.

Beast Boy coughed and cursed and pulled away from Raven, stumbling through the underbrush as he forced space between them. She lay on her back, staring at the canopy of leaves above her, listening to the ragged breathing of her friend and trying to calm herself. His fright washed over her, beating at her senses until it felt like her ears were ringing and her own body was shaking. She turned her head and looked over at him, sitting against a tree and staring at the ground.

"I… I didn't think I could suppress him…" He shoved wet hair out of his eyes, and looked over at her. There was a long, heavy pause between them as Raven fought to get a hold of her sanity. Beast Boy reached out to touch her, and then quickly pulled his hand back, as if he'd been burned. This was, after all, a very delicate situation. "Are you…" He didn't finish asking the question, knowing full well that it was a loaded gun.

"Am I what, _okay_?" Raven sat up, her body and joints groaning with the movement, and leaned against the tree behind her. She looked over at Beast Boy and frowned. _Was _she okay? She'd been dominated, screamed at, punished, fucked, Desire had a field day and Rage was smoldering deep inside her soul… but she still felt intact. Her head hurt, and there were undoubtedly wounds on her body from the fight, but… everything felt manageable. She could _tolerate _this, for now. "I'm not quite sure at this point. I've been thoroughly fucked from every which way possible, both literally and figuratively, and I'm still trying to find my bearings."

"It wasn't supposed to be like this, Raven… It was _never _supposed to be like this." He fell into the mud, a hand covering his face. Raven saw a tear slide from his shielded eyes, and he made no move to wipe it away. "I don't know any more if I'm a man or beast. This… this _thing_ takes over me, and I do this to you. I can't be around you if I can't control myself."

"Gar…" Raven felt something pull at her heart and she moved a bit closer to him. He may have seemed like a happy-go-lucky idiot sometimes, but behind that vapid expression, he had his own demons to fight. And Raven knew the feeling of that battle all too well.

"Raven., I'm so sorry…" He looked into her eyes and leaned forward, moving to kiss her. Raven didn't try to pull away, and gave him someone he could cling to in this moment. His hand cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb along the line of her cheek bone, and staring into her eyes. Raven kept her face blank neither encouraging or discouraging whatever act he was going to do. He leaned in and kissed her slowly, his lips moving against her own softly and chastely.

Raven didn't move, didn't breath, and didn't say anything, letting him finish whatever he needed to do. Although, Raven did have to admit that the sensation, although strange and foreign, wasn't exactly un-enjoyable. It was just… _different_, and she didn't know exactly how she felt about it.

Beast Boy pulled away and shook his head, frowning. "I'm so sorry. I've never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant for you to get hurt."

"I know."

He leaned into her warmth and pulled her close to him, into the shelter of his own body. There, wrapped in his arms, Raven felt herself began to shake almost violently, as if the events of the day were finally wracking through her body. Something about being in his arms made her realize how close to danger she had actually been. Both from him and from the beast inside him. Taking a slow, shaky breath, she looked up at him and managed a few, breathy words. "Let's… let's go home."

He closed his eyes and pressed his head against her own, just nodding.

)O(

_I apologize for my gratuitous use of the word "fuck" in this chapter.  
Anyway, please let me know what you think! _


	10. Chapter 10

**Primeval  
**Chapter Ten

)O(

The ride home was eerily silent.

They had both sat there in the woods a few moments longer before climbing to their feet, hunting for their clothes and pulling on the dirty, tattered remains. The car, as far as Cyborg would be concerned, was utterly destroyed. Mud was everywhere (both inside and out) and the hood and front bumper looked like it had seen far better days. Raven closed her eyes and leaned against the window, trying not to imagine what his response would be like. She didn't even want to _think_ about his wrath, let alone experience it.

"What are you thinking?"

Raven cracked open an eye and looked over at Beast Boy, trying not to think about how that question sounded suspiciously like pillow talk. "I'm trying to devise a viable excuse for Cyborg so we both won't die when we get home and he sees the car."

"Ah…" His face colored slightly, but he kept his eyes trained on the road. "Any good ones yet?"

Raven closed her eyes again and she turned away from him. "Wild animal attack." She felt Beast Boy's embarrassment radiate through the small space. Okay, that had been a little low, but it was _almost _the truth. She certainly had been attacked… of course she'd also been the attacker, Beast Boy's own battered body was proof of that. Ugh. What a mess.

"I'm sorry."

Raven could feel his caution and reserve brush against her, and she turned to face him again, watching as his face contorted with the weight of his emotions. She was reminded of the struggle that was always inside him, and something in her heart pulled tight. He shouldn't have to fight for every scrap of his sanity, but then again… _she_ shouldn't have to bear the scars of his loss either. There was a long, heavy pause before he spoke again.

"I'm sorry… for what happened in the woods, at the store… for _all_ of this. You don't deserve to be caught in the middle of a turf-war for my body, but you were. And you have been the best friend and the best companion I could have had while fighting this. You could have walked away and left me to fight this on my own… but you didn't. I can't thank you enough for what you're doing."

Raven felt color flood her face and she looked away, hiding in the thin shadows of the car. Where in the world was _this _coming from? "I didn't do anything special. You're making it sound like I'm something or someone amazing."

"You are." Beast Boy shrugged and turned down a side road leading back to town. He sighed and gripped the steering wheel tightly. "I know this isn't the way either of us expected our friendship would go, and it's been really hard to deal with… but you've been amazing. I just…" He trailed off and there was a subtle shift in his emotions, and he swallowed hard. "I don't want you to give up on me."

"You think I'll give up on you?" Raven frowned and fought back the feeling of hurt that entered her chest. Is that the impression she gave him? That she would get weary of fighting for him, and she would just _give up_? She might have been upset and a little unwilling to accept the hand that fate dealt her, but she couldn't give up, not on him.

"I don't know…" He sighed and stared blankly at a red light in front of them. "I know it's draining you. I know it's more than you want to handle, and it's way more than you should handle."

Raven sighed and shook her head. "And you shouldn't have gone into the bowels of Hell to bring my shell of a body back. But you did. We're friends, Beast Boy… that's kind of what we do for each other. It's part of our code." He chuckled softly and the tension was broken between them. Raven let them sit in comfortable silence for a moment before continuing. "Besides… you managed to fight him back when I needed it most, you must be gaining more control over the beast."

Beast Boy frowned. "Or I caught him off guard, and he'll be angrier than ever that I didn't let him… finish." He cringed slightly as the words left his mouth.

"That's not really his decision is it?"

"No… I guess not."

"Mm." Raven turned back to the window, watching as Titan tower started to peek through the buildings. They were almost home, where Raven could retreat into the shelter of her room. And maybe, for just a few moments, she could be rid of the nonsense that surrounded her, and finally be able to approach this whole situation in a relatively sane manner. Maybe.

She glanced back at Beast Boy and fought back a disgruntled sigh. "Why?"

He started, confused by her question. "Why what?"

Raven frowned, feeling the words well up before she could stop them. "Why _me_? Out of the billions of girls in the world, the cuter ones, the smarter ones, the funnier ones, the more _socially acceptable_ ones… why _me_? You're cute and funny and, although your jokes are lame, people _talk to you_. They like you, and like being your friend and being around you. Yet out of every girl or woman on the planet, you had to mate with me… why?"

"You really think I'm cute and funny?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "That's beside the point."

He smirked. "Oh yeah, you _so _think I'm cute and funny."

"Forget I said anything." Raven sighed and turned away. Sometimes she really wished she would keep her mouth shut. She exercised caution in everything else she did, why couldn't she exercise caution in her big, fat mouth?

"You're strong." Beast Boy stopped and waited for a slow-moving freight train to pass. The air turned thicker as they both sensed Raven's doubt and confusion. He glanced over at her, and Raven could see his lips start to tug down into a frown. "And cool and collected, and you can be sweet and caring, even though you don't like to hear that. You're _amazing_, on every level, and I like being around you. Can you get mad at me for it?"

"No." Raven retreated into the shadows of the car, desperate to hide her blush. "But I'm not all those things. I'm a terrible friend, Gar… and I've hurt you in ways I wish I could forget."

Beast Boy shrugged, watching the train cars slide past him. "I never said you were perfect. And I've hurt you too. We're friends, what do you expect? We're going to fight a lot."

"Yeah, but a girlfriend shouldn't fight with her boyfriend." Raven's eyes closed in shock. Had those words _actually_ left her mouth? As if she was somehow insinuating that they were actually _together,_ or a _couple_? The world around them stilled as Beast Boy looked over at her, color draining from his face. What did she just do?

"Are you… are you trying to tell me that you're my girlfriend?"

Raven sighed. "I don't know what I am, and right now I like it that way."

"I know what I would like you to be." His hand reached out at grabbed hers.

"Stop being so disgustingly sweet." Raven pulled her hand out of his and glared. "Neither of us is that person, so let's not pretend any different."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes, but he couldn't seem to make the smirk on his lips disappear. "You like it when I'm sweet."

"No, I like it when you're not annoying me." Raven crossed her arms over her chest and glared into the distance. Why had she said that? Now he was going to hold that over her head for all eternity. _Great._ She pinched the bridge of her nose and looked away, frowning. Silence fell over them again before Beast Boy made the next attempt to stir conversation.

"I want you to sleep with me."

_That _was unexpected. Raven felt color leave her face and she whipped around to stare at him. "I'm sorry… _what_?"

"Tonight…" Beast Boy glanced over at her, trying to keep his face blank, but she could feel the push of his unsettled emotions against her senses. He was being sincere, putting his emotions on the line, and wanting to build something more than the utter chaos that existed between them. He looked back at the road, hands clenching and unclenching on the steering wheel. "I want you to sleep with me… in my bed."

Raven swallowed hard, trying to keep her heart in the general vicinity of her chest. Sleep together? Like a _couple_?They may have argued, fought, and even fucked… but they did _not _sleep together. That was going into a stage of intimacy that Raven did not want to encounter, not yet. Not ever, regardless of her careless "girlfriend/boyfriend" statement. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"I won't touch you."

Raven looked out the window, avoiding his heavy stare and trying to calm her emotions. "It's not you I'm worried about."

Beast Boy winced. "I won't let _him_ touch you." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, grumbling curses under his breath. "I… I like being around you, Rae, and I like knowing that you're close to me if I need to protect you. You deserve at least that."

Raven felt her heart tighten at the sound of the nickname, it had been almost a whole day since she heard the endearment, and she found she missed it. What was _wrong _with her! She was so two-faced about this whole ordeal, both loving and hating what was happening to her. Couldn't she just pick a side and stay there?

She cleared her head and looked over at him. "I'm a big scary demon, Gar, I don't necessarily need protecting. Besides, you're bringing me closer to the one thing you're trying to protect me from." She cocked her head to the side and sighed. "The beast is not going to be happy that you managed to take over during his time to fuck me."

Beast Boy glared and gripped the steering wheel tighter. "He doesn't get a say, or a fuck, you said so yourself."

"While I agree with you, he's not going to." Raven leaned back into her car seat, trying to ignore the crackling of anger between them. Damnit, what had she done? They were both too volatile for her careless remarks, and she was going to hurt him and herself if she didn't stop.

"Stop defending him…" Beast Boy grumbled a few choice remarks under his breath and looked over at her. "And stop being so complacent."

"Complacent?" In her situation, he was calling her _complacent_? As if she was just going to bend over and let the world fuck her from behind? Raven's hands itched for the door handle. She didn't care that they were in a moving car, she didn't have to put up with this. "You accuse me of being fickle _and_ complacent? You need a dictionary."

"You _are _fickle, and you _are_ complacent, don't ask me how… but somehow you managed to do it." He glanced over at her before turning onto the road that led back to the tower. "You're complacent with what he did to you."

"I'm not complacent about it. I don't know how to handle it, and until I do, I'm going to feign indifference."

"That's a hell of a way to deal with problems."

"Yeah, I guess it's right up your alley though."

Beast Boy gripped the steering wheel tighter and growled. "You're really starting to piss me off."

"Join the party. We have hats."

"Damnit, Raven. I'm _serious_."

"So am I!" Raven turned to face him and her eyes flashed red. "You are _not _the only one with a stake in this relationship, Beast Boy, and yet you don't seem to understand that fact. This isn't all about you and your beast. _I_ have a part to play too, and I am _not _sleeping with you tonight. End of discussion."

"No, it's not. Because you're using that as an excuse to not talk about _anything _with me."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me the truth! Every three seconds you change on me, you tell me you want me, you _mate _with me, you call me a _boyfriend_, and yet when I want something to build our relationship, you run away. It's like you have to idea what you want, let alone what you need. Just make up your mind and tell me if this… _whatever_ between us is actually going to matter to you."

"If I tell you no will you run back to Anna?"

The air in the car shifted, as if Beast Boy was suddenly remembering what got them into this mess in the first place. He had flirted with her. "You're jealous of _her_?"

"You like her. You _flirted _with her and thought of asking her on a date. But, you're _mine_. I refuse to let you pine after some chit because I am _difficult._" Raven could feel the extra set of eyes open and she stared at him. Desire and Possession welled up into her chest, fueling her actions and making her lose control. Her soul, no matter how fractured it may be, would not let him leave her. "You've branded me and I've claimed you. That is final and absolute. You don't get the ability to choose another mate, you've chosen me."

Beast Boy, in spite of his blatant fear, turned to face her. "Then act like you care about us."

Raven took a deep breath and calmed herself, pushing her rogue emotions back into the pit of her soul. She looked into Beast Boy's eyes and frowned. "Is this just so I will sleep with you?"

"Raven…" He shook his head and leaned back into his seat, finally giving up. They had been fighting all day, and he was starting wear down. "Do you _really_ want me, Raven? _Really_? Or are you just clouded by the brand? Because if that's the only thing fueling your actions right now, I don't want to be a part of it. I want you to want me."

"I…" Raven cleared her head and sighed. Did she really want him? She'd told him she wanted him in the alley, let him do terrible things to her (in public no less), felt unbridled rage as she watched him flirt with Anna, but did all of that mean she wanted him? And if it did… how in the world were they going to make this relationship work? "Yes… I want you, Gar. I do… but… I have no idea how to be in a relationship, let alone how to make one work between superheroes like us, who are always fighting demons." She gave a humorless laugh. "I'm the worst person in the world to be in a relationship with."

Beast Boy snorted and looked over at her. "You think I don't know that? You're the _absolute _worse person to be in a relationship with, but that doesn't make me love you any less."

"You're setting yourself, and us, up for failure."

"You're the one instigating it."

Raven didn't have a response to that, so she kept quiet. She had been fighting him at every turn, trying to keep fate and destiny (or whatever bullshit people called it) out of her life. She didn't want to give into this, not yet. But her patience was wearing thin, and she felt as though she would break soon.

Beast Boy pulled into the Tower's garage and turned off the car. They both sat there, staring at security camera in the corner. He frowned and glanced at. "He's going to be down here any minute demanding to know what happened to his baby."

"Deer."

"What?"

"We hit a deer."

"And the deer left claw marks?"

"In your grief you clawed at the hood of the car."

"For a deer?"

"You _are_ Beast Boy… it was one of your brethren."

"I have deer brethren?"

"You do now." Raven opened the door and stepped out of the car feeling the intense wave of shock come barreling down the stairs. She looked over at Beast Boy and frowned. "He is dangerous… should we run away?"

"You've got five seconds to make that decision…"

Raven opened her mouth to respond, but the door flew open, revealing the shocked face of Cyborg.

Beast Boy winced. "I over estimated."

"Well… at least we can go down together."

"What… what happened to my baby!"

)O(

Raven groaned and fell into the covers on Beast Boy's bed. Her head pounded and she thought she might actually try to kill something. It wasn't her fault that the car was destroyed. Okay, technically it was, but it wasn't her fault that the beast jumped her in the middle of nowhere and she had to defend herself. The car was just collateral damage. "He just kept yelling and yelling, and when I thought I was done, he yelled some more. I didn't think he was ever going to stop."

"That makes two of us." Beast Boy fell into bed next to her and threw his arm over his eyes. "He was so angry that I'm surprised his circuits didn't fry." He stopped talking and looked over at her. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No… I didn't say that…" His lips twitched in confusion. "I just thought after our talk in the car, you would want to be as far away from me as possible. We didn't exactly make regulation hits. I said some pretty nasty things."

"I did too." Raven sighed and leaned back against the headboard, staring at him. There was a long, heavy silence between them as Raven gathered her thoughts. Exactly what was she condemning herself to? "I don't want you to think I'm going to run away from every problem that we come across… and I know I don't exactly have the best track record to prove otherwise, but… I don't know… maybe I want to make this work."

"Maybe?" Beast Boy sighed and shook his head, looking away from her. She could feel his emotions wearing thin, and she could feel his mind and body start to fray. She had fought with him so much, that he was almost ready to give up, and that scared Raven more than anything else. "I can't wait around for a maybe, Raven… I need to know. If you don't want me, then maybe there is a way to reverse this, maybe we can both give up and go our separate ways. And we wouldn't have to deal with this ever again."

She winced and looked away. "You don't… you don't mean that do you?"

Beast Boy groaned. "_This _is what I'm talking about, Raven. One minute you can't stand the idea of being my mate, the next we're jumping each other in an alley, and now… now you're looking at me with _that _look."

Raven blinked and jerked a little in surprise. "What look?"

"That look you get when something makes you sad. Your lower lip quivers just a little, and you look away from me, and you play with your hands. _That_ look." He sighed and stood up, shaking his head. "I can't stop myself from giving you whatever you want when you have that look. You have no idea what you do to me."

"I…" Raven sighed and stood up, trying to match him on equal ground. "I don't know what I can promise you, Beast Boy. You're asking me to give up my life on the idea that we can be happy together."

"You think I want you to give up your life? Is that it?" His eyebrows furrowed and he continued to stare at her. "That's not it at all. I'm not asking you to give up anything other than other males. I don't want you to stop being… _you_. That's why I fell in love with you. I don't want you to stop reading, or drinking tea at four in the morning, or meditating. I don't want you to give up being a superhero, or your heritage, or your friends. I don't want any of that… I just want you to belong to me."

She frowned. "That's possession."

Beast Boy held out his arm, showing her the brand. "You already possess me."

Raven sighed. He put up a damned good argument when he wanted to. "I can't promise you that this is going to work between us, but I'll try."

He smiled. "That's all I'm asking for right now."

There was a long, slow silence between them, and Raven stared into his eager face. Why did she always set herself up in these situations? "You still want me to sleep with you, don't you?"

He smiled and motioned to the bed. "That's what real boyfriends and girlfriends do."

"Sometimes I severely dislike you."

)O(

Raven had created a barrier of pillows between them. Of course there had been one more fight, arguing over sides of the bed, which ended in low blows and promises to not talk to one another. Beast Boy had won his side (which should have been Raven's) and Raven had taken all the pillows off of his bed and shoved them between her and Beast Boy, creating some kind of barricade to avoid touching.

Raven took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling, trying to calm her mind. Could she really do this? Could she spend her nights sleeping in his bed, curled up against him like some lovesick puppy? Ugh. That wasn't her at all, she was stronger than that, better than that… but still… the thought wasn't _completely_ unnerving.

She felt him stir against the pillows, mumbling something in his sleep. He pulled a pillow out of the way and leaned over her. Raven felt his lips feather over hers, gentle and slow. She bit back a curse and tried to pretend she was sleeping, but his hands slid up her ribcage and the touch forced her eyes open. He pulled back just far enough to look into her eyes and Raven saw no shadow of the beast. There was no struggle for control of his body, no push to possess her… just Beast Boy, a little sleepy looking, but definitely aroused.

Curious, she leaned up and kissed him again, feeling nothing but the gentle insistence of Beast Boy against her mouth. He threaded his fingers through hers and pulled himself a little closer to the warmth of her body.

This felt entirely different than this afternoon. She didn't feel the harsh, torrential push of dominance. Instead, she felt the cautious exploration of Garfield against her body, as if he were seeing and feeling it for the first time. Raven picked up a hand and ran her fingers through his hair. His fingertips trailed lightly along her skin, just touching her. He wasn't reaching for her insistently, just enjoying the feel of her beneath him.

"You're so soft…" He nuzzled her neck and kissed her pulse.

They lay like that for a long time, with him just touching her and kissing her exposed skin. It started a slow burn, one that sparked and fizzled under her skin until everything felt overly sensitized. Raven slid her hands under his shirt, trying to get to him, but not sure what had possessed her to do so.

He smiled against her mouth and pulled his shirt off his back. Raven waited for the familiar push of dominance when his skin touched hers, but she still felt nothing more than Beast Boy's tamed and controlled excitement. Raven swallowed and looked up into his eyes, why did this feel a million times more intimate than what they did in the alley?

He chuckled and nuzzled her jaw, running his hands over the flat of her stomach, and dipping into her bellybutton. "You look scared."

"This… feels different."

He stopped touching her and pulled away. "Different how?"

"It's not…" Raven chewed on her lip and looked up at him. "It's not so… _primal_."

"We _are _human… mostly anyway… we don't always have to be a beast and a demon." He kissed along the line of her ear, tugging on her lobe with his teeth. "You don't like it?"

"That's not it… I think… I think I like it too much." Raven was glad for the darkness that hid her blush. "It makes me feel…" She trailed off as her breath escaped in something that sat between a sigh and a ragged pant.

"Good? That's what making love is supposed to feel like." He slid his hands all the way up her shirt and pulled it over her head. His breath hitched a little at the sight of her nude body. "It's not always supposed to be hot against a wall… in a public street."

"I can't believe us." Raven gave a low chuckle and moved her hands over his back, feeling a long, jagged scar close to his spine. Her shattered soul was running rampant inside her, elated at the sensations. Desire was writhing against her sides, making the sensations feel more intense. Even Rage and Timid were nearly purring with content.

"We're pretty terrible for each other…" Beast Boy laughed and kissed down her sternum, his hands still delving into that shadows on her body. "But, I guess I wouldn't want it any other way."

Raven didn't know what to say to that, so she grabbed both sides of his face and pulled him back up to kiss her.

)O(

Raven woke up with his arms around her, and her naked body nestled tightly against his. This was something she wished she never had to experience. She swallowed slowly and untangled herself from his arms, reaching for their discarded clothes.

He shifted and reached for her. His eyes opened slowly, almost sexily, and Raven felt her heart crawl into her throat at the sight of his slow smile. "Don't go. Stay a while."

"I have to go…" She pulled her shirt over her head and stood up, resisting the urge to reach out and touch him. She was stronger than that. She didn't need his touch, at least that was what she kept telling herself. "I don't want the others to know what's going on between us."

"Is it something we should be ashamed of?" Beast Boy sat up and ran a hand through his hair, looking out at her from beneath his bangs. The sheet slid from his body, exposing his wry muscles, and Raven had a sudden desire to jump back into bed with him. She forced her eyes closed and looked away from temptation.

She cleared her thoughts and looked back at him. "I haven't decided that yet."

"I'm not ashamed." He frowned at her. "Hell, Starfire sleeps with Robin almost every night."

"That's different."

"How?"

"I'm not Starfire."

"No, you're not." Beast Boy sighed and fell back into his pillows. Raven could feel his disappointment ripple through the room. He wanted something normal between them, but what did he expect from a demon and a beast? He waved her off. "Whatever, just go."

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're upset."

"You're ashamed of us."

"I wasn't even aware there was an _us_." Raven cringed as soon as the words left her mouth and she closed her eyes against the feeling of his anger running though her. "I didn't mean that."

"Yes you did." Beast Boy rolled over and stared at the ceiling. "You don't want us to be together. In spite of your brave words last night. You still doubt us as a couple."

"I never said that."

"You didn't have to." He looked over at her and his eyes darkened. "I love you."

Raven took a cautious step back. It wasn't the first time he had told her that, but it was the first time he said it with so much conviction that Raven thought that both their hearts might burst. He watched her expectantly, as if he was anticipating something similar out of her mouth. Raven just stumbled from the room and walked away.

)O(

_This chapter gave me hell through and through. The last two scenes I know are kind of choppy, and I'm not sure how edited and proofread they are. Be brutal in your reviews because I deserve it. I promise the next chapter will be a million times better. _

_PS: Did anyone else have a nerdgasm when Garfield Logan was on "Young Justice" the other day? Or was I the only one? _


	11. Chapter 11

**Primeval  
**Chapter Eleven

Hours passed without a sound, and Raven sat in her room, watching as the sun moved slowly from East to West. She was not bothered, she was not interrupted, and in the darkness and solitude of her room, Raven had a moment of lucidity. One solitary moment where her mind wasn't caught up in the torrential push of emotions, either from her, or Beast Boy, or the beast. And for that one moment she realized exactly what had been happening: she was succumbing to the emotions she so desperately fought. She clawed her way away from them, kicked and screamed until it felt like her entire world was going to come crashing down around her ears, but it didn't matter in the end. She was an empath, and her emotions would always be affected by others.

Including Beast Boy.

So, when he told her he loved her, her heart stopped beating, her mind buzzed, her skin flushed, and she felt every ounce of sincerity poured into those few simple words. But whose emotions were they? Hers? His? The beast's? At what point was she feeling things that belonged to her, and things that belonged to someone else? And at what point did her mouth start to form the words to say them back? Did she love him too, or was it just because of what she was? Because she was feeling something that wasn't hers?

"You're thinking too hard about it."

Raven jerked and looked over at her nightstand, where her mirror lay. She rolled her eyes and picked it up, looking into the reflection of Beast Boy. Her lips pursed and she glared down at his doppelganger that lived in her soul. "And what would you know, Desire, about thinking? You're impulsive and rash, and you've gotten me into more trouble than I want to bring up."

"Trouble? Is that what you think of it? I would consider it something a little more… satisfying. I must say, I didn't know you had the ability to be so… reckless. Against a wall in public? How utterly devilish." He flashed a predatory smile and looked into her eyes, remind Raven of the way the beast looked at her. "I'm quite proud of you, Raven… you've come a long way from the blushing virgin."

"Shut up." Raven yanked a pillow from behind her and shoved it over the mirror, desperately trying to drown him out. The last thing she needed was his nonsense, especially after she worked so hard to keep him under control. "You don't control me."

"I don't." His words were muffled by the pillow. "But I know you, and sometimes that's a bit more dangerous." He paused for a moment, as if waiting for Raven to remove the pillow, but she sat there and glared at the wall. "You're questioning the validity of your emotions, what was fed to you and what was not. You're wondering how much effect Beast Boy has on you, and how many of his emotions have gotten under your skin. You want to love him, but you're afraid of whether or not that is your feeling, or his."

Raven growled low in her throat and yanked the pillow off to stare into the mirror. "I can separate the two."

"Can you?" The image smirked and shook his head. "Do you really find it so easy now that both of your souls are intertwined? He is part of you and you are part of him, his emotions are yours. There is no longer a you and him, there is an us."

Raven rolled her eyes. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Neither does a demon and a beast, but here we are, being claimed by one." He laughed and his smirk grew into a grin. "And quite well, I might add. I didn't think Beast Boy had that kind of desire in him. I'm rather impressed with his prowess in bed."

Raven felt color leave her face and she turned away. "Please, don't remind me."

"You enjoyed it, Raven…" Desire suddenly sounded irritated and Raven looked back at him. "You enjoyed the ways he touched you and pleased you, denying that is only making me what I am: an image of what you want to enjoy, of what you desire. You are doing this to yourself."

"You're making me out to be the bad guy."

Desire scoffed and shook his head. "There is no bad guy in the game of love, Raven. Both parties win or lose, there is no in between."

"And what do you think I should do about this, then?" Raven glared down into her mirror, waiting for something ridiculous to come out of his mouth.

"Go away." Desire blinked at her and frowned, as if she had asked a very stupid question. "It's as simple as that. If you truly believe that his emotions are affecting yours, then go away. Somewhere where there are no people, where there are no emotions, where there is no push and pull against your soul. And if you still feel the things you do… then maybe these feelings are yours."

Raven was startled by the simplicity of his answer. It wasn't something ridiculous, it was logical, sound, and it made more sense than anything had this past week. Be alone, find your center, and find the truth. Easy. But how was she supposed to do it? "And that's it? Just pick up my duties and leave? For how long? And what will Robin and the others think?"

Desire shrugged. "The Boy Wonder has no room to argue against your time away, not after his ridiculous trek halfway across the world into the Himalayan mountainside to go be stronger, or find himself, or whatever nonsensical bullshit he wants to call it." He frowned and looked up into her eyes. "You wouldn't need long, Raven… just some time to cleanse your soul and find out what is true and what is something else. Leave now, if you want. What's the Boy Wonder going to do? Chase you? He knows too well that is a terrible idea, and he knows when to leave you alone."

Raven sighed and leaned back against her headboard, staring at her bookshelf. What had she gotten herself caught up in? And how in the world was she going to make it right again? "Can I reverse this?"

Desire started, as if confused and taken aback by her sudden question. "I don't know. That's a question for Intelligence. But, perhaps that's not the question you should really be asking. Maybe the question is: do you want to reverse it."

Raven felt color floor her face and she glared. "Why wouldn't I?"

Desire shrugged. "Again, not my area of expertise. I deal in primal emotions, not soul searching for answers. Now, if you wanted to know my opinion of Beast Boy's-"

"No." Raven covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to block out the rush of heat that pressed against her. Of all the things he had to bring up… "I do not want to hear your opinion on that particular subject, Desire, so you can shut up right now."

His laugh echoed through the stillness of the room. "I'm just saying… he's gifted."

"I know." Raven picked up the mirror and turned it face down on her nightstand, hoping that she had effectively ended the conversation. Minutes ticked past, and there was no peep from Desire, proving that he had ended the conversation and retreated into the recesses of Raven's soul. She sighed and glanced out at the window, watching a few barges move through the still waters of the bay.

"Cleanse my soul?" Raven sighed and moved to her closet, pulling a few things from its darkest corners. It was a rash and stupid thing to do, but that was usually Desire's M.O., still… the idea had some merit. Raven was pushed and pulled in every direction possible, turning her emotions into a storm she didn't understand. If she left, if she found solitude, then maybe she would find herself. Maybe she would even find the truth behind the storm of emotions she was feeling. "Maybe…"

Raven changed out of her uniform into jeans and a raggedy sweatshirt that was a size too big. Looking into her closet, she threw a few provisions into a backpack. Guilt ate at her as Raven stared at her backpack in her hand and then at the door handle. Was she really going to do this? Was she really going to trust someone as impulsive as Desire? Yes. She was going to take one stupid leap of faith and try to cleanse her soul. She opened her door and took those first few steps down the hall, making her way to the kitchen.

It wasn't as if she was going to be gone forever. A few days at the most, just a few moments of silence, just enough to figure this out, just enough to really see if it was her own emotions she was feeling. And then she would come back… and then what? Raven sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter, holding her head in her hands. What if the emotions weren't her own, what if they were someone else's? She would come back knowing that what she was feeling wasn't hers, and then what would happen to Beast Boy? She would crush him.

But the more frightening question was what if those feelings were her own?

Raven felt her eyes close and she took a long, deep breath. This was such a mess.

"You're up late."

Raven jerked and whipped around to stare into a pair of deep green eyes. Beast Boy. Words caught in her throat and she forced herself to turn back around, rummaging in the cupboards for a few morsels of food, things she could take with her. Why did this suddenly hurt so much? "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were still up."

"I couldn't sleep… I've been thinking about you all day, wondering when we would get the chance to talk about what happened." He leaned against the other counter and watched her.

"What do you want to talk about?" Raven positioned her body just right so that he couldn't see the backpack at her feet. She knew what would happen once he saw it. He would know she was leaving, and he would fight her every step of the way.

"I know that what I said upset you, and I know that in the context of our… relationship… it was probably downright rude, but I couldn't keep it from you anymore. I was hurt and angry and frustrated, and I thought that maybe if you knew how I felt, then maybe you would love me too." He held up his hand as Raven opened her mouth to respond, effectively silencing her. "I know that was a stupid thing to think, but I… I just… I needed to tell you."

"I… I know…" Raven leaned against the counter and stared at the floor. "I know that you were just trying to tell me, but I'm not angry at what you said, I'm scared. I've never been loved before, at least not the way you love me, and I don't know how to respond. I don't even know if these emotions are mine."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm an empath, Gar…" She sighed and motioned to herself. "My energy draws off other people's emotions, and sometimes it can feel like those emotions are mine too. In the end, I have no idea if anything I'm experiencing is really mine."

Realization flooded his face. "I never really saw it from that perspective."

Raven gave a half-hearted shrug. "I never expected you to. It's my burden to bear, and I don't imagine a whole lot of people really understand what it means." She took a long, deep breath and looked into his eyes, seeing his understanding there. He didn't fully comprehend what was going on, but he wanted to trust her, and that was something. "I want you to know that I want these emotions to be mine. I want to look at you and know that what I'm feeling right now isn't because of you or the beast. I want it to be because of me."

He looked right into her eyes, letting the silence fall around them. "Do you love me?"

His bluntness caught her off guard and she stumbled over her words trying to find the right response. How did he always manage to do that to her? "Right now… I don't know. It feels like I should, but I can't tell if that's me. I can't tell anything anymore." She gave a bitter bark of laughter and shook her head. "I guess you're right, I can never face my problems head-on. I always run away from them."

"I didn't mean that…" He let his words fall off and looked at his feet. "I get so… frustrated with you, Raven. It's like all you want to do is make my life and my own emotions difficult. You want me, you don't want me. You comfort me, and then you drive me insane. You mate with me and then regret it… you make love to me, and run away when I tell you how I feel… I just don't know what to think any more and I don't know how to handle it, so I lash out. I get angry, and I say things I don't really mean."

Raven was glad the darkness hid her blush. "I do the same. You drive me nuts… but I guess I can't really imagine my life without you. I just… I want to make sure that all of this is mine. That I'm feeling what I want to feel, and not what you or the beast wants me to feel. I want to make sure that it's all me."

Beast Boy stared at her for a long moment, as if trying to decipher her words. "It almost sounds like you're planning on leaving."

Raven swallowed a growing lump in her throat and turned away from him, pretending to be more interested in the cupboard than their conversation. Beast Boy continued to stare at her until the air turned thick around them, to the point it felt as if it was choking her.

His words were barely over a whisper. "Are you?"

Raven stilled, but she didn't respond. She didn't want him to think that this was his fault. It wasn't. It was her choice. It was her way of trying to figure out if everything she was feeling was real and hers.

There was a long stretch of silence, and she could feel his stare boring into her back, eyes dropping down to see the backpack at her feet. His emotions pushed and pulled at her as everything clicked into place for him, working her own guilt into something deeper and more painful. He cleared his throat and took a cautious step toward her. "Where are you going?" He dropped his voice low and approached her carefully, trying to treat her as if she were a frightened animal, like one wrong move would have made Raven scamper off. "Are you running away? From me?"

"No… of course not." She sighed and turned around to face him, trying to keep herself detached from the emotions on his face. He looked almost wounded by her sudden need to leave, not that she could blame him. He had just poured his soul out for her, and she ran away and was still running away, because she didn't know how to respond to or understand what happened. Raven closed her eyes, hoping to block out the press of his pain. "I'm just leaving… for a while."

"That sounds a lot like running away." Beast Boy looked confused and then he turned away, his emotions turning frail and confused. "Look, if it's about this morning…"

"It's not." Raven frowned and rubbed her forehead, trying to keep her emotions at bay and sort them from his own. Everything felt like it had just reached the peak and it was spiraling out of control, threatening her and her sanity. She looked into his eyes, trying to keep her face blank. "It's not… I just… I need to know if what I'm feeling is mine, or if it's yours, or if it's the beast's… I don't know, there's just so much going on right now and I can't process it. I just need to be a lone for a little bit, not forever."

Beast Boy glanced back at her, his eyes filled with emotion. "I never meant for those words to hurt you like they did. I just… I didn't know how to tell you how I felt."

"This morning… your words…" Raven felt the heat creep into her face and she stared up at him, trying to hold her ground. "They didn't hurt, Gar… I told you already, they frightened me… I'm confused. I want to reciprocate, but I can't tell if I'm giving you my own feelings or not. If I'm being influenced by you or by the beast… I want to know. I want to know that this is me."

"I…" He looked away, his face falling into an expression of defeat. Any words of protest he might have had, died on his tongue. "I want it to be you too. If I'm influencing you with my own feelings, I want to know too. If you don't love me the way I love you, then I have to know. I can't go on worrying that what we have and what we build together is only because of me."

Raven felt her heart leap into her throat. For the first time in a week, they weren't fighting, they weren't arguing, that weren't at each other's throats because they didn't understand. It was the first time they had come to an agreement, the first time their choices hadn't been adrenaline fueled decisions. And something about it felt good. It felt almost right.

He managed to take a few steps forward, still careful not to scare her. "So… you're going away?"

She nodded and continued putting things in her backpack, trying to drone out the frantic beating of her heart. "For a little while."

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere with no people." Raven looked over at him and felt pain well up into her chest. He was hurt by her decision, but he knew there was nothing he could do to change her mind. And in that pain, there was the spiny feeling of guilt. She reached out at touched his arm, taking a step forward. "This isn't your fault, Gar. I promise, I just… I need to figure something out."

"I know…" His hands weaved into her hair and he leaned his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes. His voice dropped to a whisper and he leaned a little closer to her. "I know."

Beast Boy closed the space between them, desperately kissing her as if the world was going to end tomorrow. His lips moved carefully over hers, trying to show in one kiss what he had grown to feel over their years together. It was beautiful, and Raven felt her face flush and her throat tighten as his hands slid over her body, touching her and exploring her the same way he had last night, gentle and sincere, as if she was nothing less that precious.

"I don't want you to go." He whispered against her lips. "But I understand why."

"Thank you." Raven hitched her backpack on her shoulders and pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her head, hiding her shocked expression from him. "Tell the others I'm okay and I'll be back soon."

"Mm…" He reached out and cupped her cheek, then let his hand drop to his side. "Come home if you need anything."

"I will…" Raven slid out from between him and the counter and headed for the darkness in the hallway. Something stopped her at the door way and she turned around, looking at him. They stood there and stared at each other for a long moment before Raven finally spoke. "Don't blame yourself for this, Gar… it was something I had to do regardless. I… want to love you too." She didn't let him respond and slid into the night.

)O(

_So… I know this isn't really up to par with my usual chapters, but I wanted to put it out as a peace-offering. I haven't forgotten about this story, and I am actively working on it. I promise that the next chapter will be up soon, and the story will be wrapping up in the next two to three chapters. An end has to be in sight._

_Also, if anyone is interested, I am actually working on a rewrite to this story. Something very similar, but very different, with a __real__, cohesive plot. We'll see where that goes. _

_Anyway! Please let me know what you think! I love to hear your thoughts!_


	12. Chapter 12

**Primeval  
**Chapter Twelve

)O(

There was a stillness in the air that Raven hadn't felt in a very long time. She had almost forgotten what it felt like when the world stopped and nothing existed out of infinitesimal moments. Her mind wasn't in pain, her heart didn't feel like it was going to burst, and her emotions didn't lash out at every little detail. Bit by bit, and minute by minute, her soul stilled, her emotions stopped warring amongst themselves, and she was at peace. There was no longer the tug of energy from her own soul, from Beast Boy's emotions, or even from the hassle of the tower. What she was feeling at that very moment was nothing less and nothing more than herself.

Raven stood on a cliff, overlooking the green carpet of forest below her. She was in the middle of nowhere, miles from civilization, and that seemed to suit her just fine. For the first time in weeks, she felt peaceful. She didn't feel like her soul was being bombarded by a million different emotions. She didn't feel like she was swept up in a storm of desire. She felt like herself, before all of the insanity happened in her life. She took a deep breath and tucked her legs under her, letting her mind still as she reached into her soul, pulling at the fragments and trying to fully understand what their warring meant.

They had been lashing out at each other, fighting for dominance, fighting to be heard and understood, and Raven had no idea how to control or combat them. It was almost as if her emotions ran wild, like animals through her psyche.

There was inquisitive movement against her soul, before the silence was broken. _You did a surprisingly intelligent thing. Leaving, that is._

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes behind their lids. "I can do that on occasion, Intelligence."

_Before, yes. You made very logical and level headed decisions before, but now your choices are… a little more primeval. A little more rash_.

Raven sighed and felt the pang of guilt wash over her. While she was not the only factor in what had happened, her choices and her decisions were of her own making. They may have been fueled by desire and hormones and goddess knows what else, but they were hers, and in the end her soul suffered the consequences from problems she caused. "I know… I'm trying to figure that out."

Intelligence seemed a mixture of impressed and concerned. _That's a step in the right direction. _There was a long pause before she continued. _Would you care for some advice?_

Raven heard the chill in her voice, and hesitated. She knew that if she was to fully understand why her soul was warring, she was going to have to understand herself and her emotions. She was going to have to get to the bottom of it all. Including, whether or not she truly felt love and passion for Beast Boy. She took a shaky breath and let it out slowly. "I suppose that's the best way to start this process, is by listening to you."

_You have fought against yourself and against your emotions for so long, that we are all battered, jumbled, and confused. You must listen to each part of yourself before you can fully understand what it is you are feeling. _Intelligence pushed against her chest hard, making Raven feel somewhat lightheaded. _You want answers, but you have not taken the steps to get them. Do not ignore us because you think we are under control. You are fragmented, only pieces of a whole, you do not become one until we are balanced. _

Raven winced. She hadn't really thought about it like that. "And what do you think? About Beast Boy and me? About what happened?"

_Me?_ She felt a slow smile pass across Intelligence's lips. _That is the first time you ever thought it necessary to ask, Raven. I am impressed by your progress. I think that this is an… _experience._ By all accounts, Beast Boy is a good match for you. He is the opposite of yourself, silly, frivolous, lazy, and emotional. He brings into balance your personality. You are very… sheltered. He brings out a side of you, and of us, that we don't usually see. And he will care for you, that is clear in the fiber of his being. He loves you._

Raven shivered and she pulled the sweatshirt around her tighter. "And the beast?"

Intelligence hesitated for a moment, as if she was trying to effectively put into words something even Raven couldn't. _He is the enigma in this. He is violent, primal, angry, possessive, and territorial. But there are pieces of him that so closely reflect Beast Boy, it is hard to tell them apart. He feels violent passion for you, will protect you with his life, but he is uncontrollable and he will lash out if provoked. _She shuddered and Raven felt the whisper travel down her own spine.

_If Beast Boy cannot learn to control him, he will be a danger to you. _

"That is my fear." Raven frowned and opened her eyes, looking down into her hands. Her heart pounded a gentle rhythm against her ribs, betraying her calm exterior. This was more than she was anticipating, heavier and deeper than she could have imagined. Her emotions wanted to explain their side, their reasoning behind why they were warring. They wanted to trust him, but there were so many parts to Beast Boy, that there was nothing they could trust and nothing they could understand. And in the end, they were worried and confused, and Raven couldn't blame them.

Intelligence seemed to sense her hesitation and reached out to calm Raven. _Do not _fear _what this is, Raven. Understand it. That is the only way you can make the right and educated decision._

"I know…" She let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I know."

Intelligence reached out and calmed Raven's heart, trying to give her some iota of serenity in logic. _Beast Boy can be exactly what you want from him, he can be more than a teammate and more than a companion or friend, but you will have to give him the chance. And you both will have to learn how to quell the beast inside him. That would be part of your responsibility as his mate._

Raven started and swallowed hard. That was the first time her emotions had ever insinuated that she was, in fact, Beast Boy's mate. She had spent all that time trying to prove to herself that she wasn't, or at least she couldn't commit to him yet, and yet her emotions seemed to fully accept their fate. Raven was his mate, and there was no changing it. "I guess you're right."

She felt Intelligence smile. _I know I am. _

_He should be a good mate. But still… there's something that just seems… off. _There was a rough push against her soul, as if one of her emotions felt the need to interject. _He is a fighter, you know. Strong, powerful. _

Bravery. Raven looked down into the tree tops again, imagining her emotion swinging from the trees as if she was Tarzan. "I know, Bravery. He's saved me more times than I care to count… of course, he's also gotten me into trouble a lot too."

_Yeah, but that doesn't mean he forced it on you. It was an accident. People make mistakes, the point is to face them head on and realize what they are, so you don't make them again. _She hesitated a moment, as if there was something that might have bothered her. _He makes me feel weird… Beast Boy does. Like we're not always ourselves, and we all become everyone else. He's a lot of things that we never were, Raven. Outgoing and energetic, sweet and caring… we were always strong, always powerful… but there are different kinds of power, ya know?_

"And the beast? What of his power?"

Bravery hesitated even longer before responding. _I'm not sure how to answer that. He's scary. Raven, he's too strong to control or understand. Getting yourself wrapped up in that is going to set you up for disaster. But I know he's part of Beast Boy, so I don't know why I'm so… nervous. There's a time to fight and a time to retreat, and the beast makes me want to retreat always._

That wasn't exactly the best news, but what else could Raven have expected? Bravery was strong, and battle savvy, and she knew when a fight was worth leaving. "What about Beast Boy? Is that where I get this feeling of dread? From being afraid of what's inside him?"

_No! That's Timid just being herself. Beast Boy is fun, in spite of his power. _Bravery laughed. _I want to fight with him! Wrestle and play! _Raven tried not to think about where "wrestling" would lead, but she let Bravery continue. _He's strong, but he can have a good time. Not like Bird Brain who has nothing to do but drone on and on about tactics. That's all Intelligence's stuff, I just like to fight. _

Raven let go of a long, deep sigh. Bravery was, at the very least, _taxing_. She was all over the place, as if she couldn't quite make up her mind about Beast Boy. It was as if she was frightened by the beast, but excited by Beast Boy, and the two feelings canceled each other out, creating chaos. "But you're upset by the beast? He's a part of Beast Boy… we have to accept one and the other."

She could feel Bravery push against her soul, angry that Raven called her out on contradicting feelings. _I know that! But you're asking us to be put in the forefront of danger. That's not bravery, that's stupidity. We will be slaughtered. _

_ He's scary! Raven, you think I am weak and useless, but I am a voice of reason. If I'm frightened of something, there has to be a reason behind it. _Timid piped in before Bravery had a chance to finish, and she seemed a bit perturbed that no one seemed to take her emotions seriously. Timid was a little more forceful now, demanding her concerns be heard by both Raven and the other emotions. _I'm not always scared of everything. Beast Boy is volatile and impulsive. He can be angry and selfish, and the beast is a hundred times worse. He has the honest capability to actually hurt us, both physically and mentally. He is trying to control you, trying to make you something you are not._

Raven swallowed a lump of fear in her throat. "And that is?"

_A possession. _Rage interjected before Timid had a chance to finish. Frightened by the more powerful emotion, Timid retreated into the recesses of Raven's soul. Rage slithered through Raven, like a snake looking for prey._ We are not a bird to be kept in a cage, we are a demon. He will control us, he will use force to keep us docile. We cannot trust him and we shouldn't. You think you can fight him, understand him, reason with him… but he is an animal and he cannot be trusted._

"I want to trust him." Even in the chill of the air, Raven felt her cheeks grow warm with her blush. It was the first time she had admitted to herself that she wanted anything from Beast Boy, other than solitude. It was a step in the right direction of fully understanding her feelings for him. "He's been my friend… and more… for longer than I care to admit. If I want our relationship to continue, then I have to trust him, including the beast."

Rage was silent for a moment before talking, growling so low that it rumbled painfully in Raven's chest. She was ready to attack, angry that Raven was refusing to listen to her. _He will destroy us, Raven. Rip us apart until we are a shell of what we once were. If you are happy being nothing, then don't let me stop you, but do not bring us into the travesty you create. _

Her emotions shuffled, as if suddenly understanding what Rage was trying to say. Raven pushed against each of them, reminding her emotions that this was her body and she would make the decisions. "And are you willing to let love go because of your fear?" Raven knew that was a low blow, but she needed to know the truth. Was she scared because there was an unknown element, or was she scared because there was a real danger in her relationship? That was something she had to figure out.

_If Beast Boy were the only factor in this question, I would tell you no. But you know that the beast is part of who he is. Are you willing to put yourself and all of us in danger because you think love is more important than self-preservation?_

"I…"

_Love is greater than self-preservation!_ Love screamed so loud that Raven's head began to throb. She pushed wildly against every part of Raven, burning her and cooling her, making her breath short and raspy, turning her body into a warm mass. It was like every emotion Raven had ever felt with Beast Boy, wrapped into one indiscernible feeling, moving slowly though her body like hot lava. _Love is more than yourself, more than what we have together. It is what drives us to be _human_. It is the reason for being who we are and who we are not. We cannot give up love because we are angry with him, because he is not strong, because he is too strong, because we are afraid, or because it doesn't seem logical._

She stopped for a moment, letting the weight of her words sink into Raven and all of her emotions. Her mind seemed to still, riveted to Love and what she was saying. _We are more than the sum of our parts, we are you Raven, at all points in your body. And, although you may be scared, although he may frighten you, although it seems your decisions are fueled by desire, although he may drive you crazy and he will upset and anger you, although you may not always be happy, and at times it may feel like happiness will be pulled away from you… you _love_ him. Those emotions are his, yes, but they are also yours. You are the one that loves him. _

There was a long moment of silence, where Raven refused to breathe, where her emotions refused to rebel, where it felt like she might actually have made a breakthrough. She finally took a slow, deep breath and let it out.

"I love him?"

_You do. That's not me, or Desire, or Intelligence, or even Rage. You have grown to love and cherish him more than you do yourself. That can only be accomplished by you. _

The buzzing in her head stopped and her emotions were still for a long while, having retreated into the recesses of her soul. Love's words had bullied them all into submission. Her soul was forced to confront its self, forced to understand that it _was_ greater than the sum of its parts. Raven was in love, and no matter how scared, or angry, or worried she might be, she loved Beast Boy. All of him. Including the beast.

Knowing that these emotions were hers, and not the product of someone or something else, seemed to ease her soul. It made the idea of being with Beast Boy seem almost exciting. _She _loved him. It wasn't just a mirror of his own emotions. It was hers too.

She looked into the darkening forest, wondering how long she had been here. Time had passed around her. Minutes, hours… she wasn't sure. She only knew that she had found the answers she came to find. She loved Beast Boy.

_It's nice to know you took my advice._

Raven paused as she felt Desire slide around the back of her mind, pushing at her. Desire was one of her baser emotions, and while influenced by Love's tumultuous speech, she was not controlled by it. _And how do you feel, knowing that you aren't influenced by others' emotions? Does it feel better knowing the truth?_

"I haven't explored that yet." Raven reached deep inside herself again and found the fragments of her soul, they stilled under her gentle touch. The war inside her had stopped, and they seemed to finally be getting along with each other. Peace and tranquility was being restored. It was a step in the right direction, things wouldn't always be perfect, but she knew the truth now, and that was good enough. "I guess it does, knowing I love him."

She felt Desire's smile, and somewhere in the recesses of her mind Raven knew that Desire had returned to her normal form. An image of Raven herself. She had stopped fighting her emotions and in return, there was peace. _Well, that's nice to hear. You desire and love him… does that mean all of him? Including the primal part you aren't willing to accept yet? _

"I have to." Raven chewed on her lower lip and looked up at the stars. "I love Beast Boy… including the parts that might not necessarily be safe."

Desire seemed amused. _The beast is safe, brutish at times, but safe. He also loves you, will care and provide for you. You must learn patience and perhaps even dominance with both of them, Beast Boy and his beast. The beast may be strong, but he will bow to your own strength. A bully wants to be bullied themselves. You simply need to find the balance of powers. _Desire chucked and the feeling rumbled through Raven's chest. _How does that old adage go? You must learn to pick your battles. In return you will be happy. _

Raven blew out a breath of irritated air and fell onto her back, exhaustion sinking into her bones. How long had she been out here? And how much energy had she used, trying to keep up the conversation between her and her emotions? "It won't be easy."

_No. Of course not. But most good things aren't. Enjoyment and pleasure take effort. If it's easy, it can't be all that good. _Desire rolled around in Raven's chest before stilling for a moment. She reached outside of Raven and felt the air carefully, looking for something. Desire moved back into the shadows of Raven's mind, as if retreating. _I believe you have a follower._

"A follower? Who…"

_The beast_.

Raven sat up and looked into the forest, her heart dropping into her stomach. Why did he chase after her? She searched through the darkness, searching for any signs of him. It was pitch black and the trees were still in the breezeless air. If the beast had followed her, there was no sign of him from this height, and she highly doubted that he would have let her see him. Something rustled the leaves behind her, signaling a new presence.

"You are not very hard to find, Raven. You leave your scent everywhere." He moved up behind her and buried his nose into her neck.

Raven bit back a curse and pushed him away from her. "I am here _alone_. That means that _you_ aren't supposed to be here."

"Yes… I know."

"Then why did you follow me?" Raven whipped around and glared at him. Something about his proximity made her want to scream. He couldn't even give her a few hours of peace? He had to be around her all the time, just to prove his dominance.

"It's not safe for you to be out alone."

"I'm in the middle of nowhere. As a _demon, _I think I can handle a few deer and stray woodland creatures." The beast ignored her words, and instead glared and circled her slowly. But, Raven refused to let him think that he had the upper hand. She tilted her chin up at him and frowned. "Besides, the point of me being alone was to sort out my feelings, and you are just riling them up again. Go away and leave me alone."

"I have left you alone." He stood in front of her, eyes dark. "I gave you three days of headway, Raven. You've had plenty of time to do your ridiculous soul searching, now it's time for you to come back home."

Raven jerked, three days? Was that how long had she been in a trance? "Three days?"

"Yes." He continued to stare at her. "I'm tired of waiting, come home."

She glared. "I'm not your property. You can't just _order_ me around."

"Can't I?" He frowned at her and moved closer, trying to fill the space between them. "You're my mate, and I'm telling you to come home."

"I'm not going home!" She stood her ground and pressed her finger into his chest, feeling Desire's words start to take root. She was going to have to assert herself if she had any hope in having control in this relationship. "I am not going to be bullied by you anymore. You won't hurt me, you can't. You said it yourself."

The beast raised an eyebrow and stared at her. She could feel his anger ripple through the air, thickening the silence between them. "Is that so?"

"You said you were incapable of doing real harm to me." Raven took a step back and crossed her arms over her chest, staring at him. "You don't frighten me, and I refuse to be treated like some kind of _thing_ when I'm around you. I'm more than that, and I won't to let you forget it. I am willing to learn to be your mate, but if you want me, then you need to start treating me like a _mate_. Not a possession." Raven swallowed whatever fear and whatever anger was building inside her and looked right into his eyes. "And that includes giving me my space when I need it."

"So…" His voice was pitched low, but he didn't move from his spot. If he was surprised, he didn't show it. "You won't fight me anymore? You want to be my mate?"

"I want to be Beast Boy's mate, and I cannot have him without you." Raven kept her face blank as she continued, fighting the emotions rippling inside her. "It's a symbiotic relationship, and I know that. You cannot live without what he gives you and he cannot live with what you give him. In order to be with Beast Boy, I have to accept you. And in order to be with you, I have to accept Beast Boy."

"After all that fighting, arguing, hitting, dragging your heels… you've finally given in." The beast didn't even attempt to hide his incredulity. "You understand why I am leery of your choice. You've never given me any indication that wanted to be with me. You've fought with me on every little thing."

"Nothing is _little_ in this relationship, and I fought you because you were forcing me." Raven frowned and stared up at him. "I don't exactly have a whole lot of patience when someone tried to _force_ their will on me. It doesn't matter who it is."

He raised an eyebrow. "But it will be fine if _you_ make the choice? So that you have some false feeling of control?"

"I _am_ in control. I don't need you in my life. You need me." Raven growled at him, feeling rebellion rise into her throat. She would not let him control her. Of course, being hard-headed wasn't exactly helping the situation either.

He shook his head. "I am still in doubt that you _actually_ want this, Raven."

"I do. I want to be with both of you. That was the whole idea of my pointless soul searching, as you so tactfully called it." She sighed and motioned to the space between them. "_This_ has to be a symbiotic relationship. Between all of us. It can't be us fighting for each other, or between each other."

"And yet you still wish to be with us, _knowing_ that this relationship exists between all three of us." He cocked his head to the side, waiting for her response. "And you're all right with this?"

"I don't have a choice, if I want one of you, I have to have both of you." Raven returned his cold stare. "And you are the enigma in this."

"I am?" He choked back harsh laughter. "And you don't seem to think there's anything wrong with your fickle behavior?"

"Fickle?" Raven bit back a curse as she stared at him. Maybe the beast and Beast Boy weren't so different after all. Clearly they threw around the same insults. "How was I being fickle when both you and Beast Boy kept pulling me in a million directions? I couldn't choose between you because neither of you gave me the opportunity for choice. You were both were so damn irritating." Raven took a deep breath and moved away, running her hands through her hair, trying to calm herself. This wasn't exactly going as she planned.

"Look, I don't want to fight with you. Not now." She looked back up into his dark eyes. "I've made the decision, and it took me a lot of effort to figure out what I wanted. I want you and Beast Boy. Together as a whole. Just, tell me what to do now."

The emotions swirled between them before settling down into a fine film over them. The beast stared into her eyes, searching for the truth. "And this is what you want to do? Be ours forever?"

Raven answered without hesitation. "Yes."

"Mm…" The beast finally closed the gap between them, his face emotionless. "If you are set on being my mate, then claim me, Raven. If your actions are proof of your words, then finish the mark on my wrist. Make me yours and let this nonsense be over." He took her hand and slid it over the faint mark on his wrist. "You know as well as I do that the brand is unfinished. If you wish to stop fighting the feelings between us, if you wish to accept your place as our mate, then mark me."

"I don't know how I did it." Raven swallowed as she watched him move even closer. "It was an accident last time."

She could handle him when there was distance between their bodies. But, when he invaded her personal space and looked at her with a million emotions in his eyes, Raven didn't know what to do. Her body and mind melted, and she began to understand that whatever he was making her do would seal them together forever. Was she _really _ready to take that step?

"It was _subconscious _last time, not an accident. An accident implies that you did not know what you were doing." He offered her a slow, almost sad smile. And Raven felt the emotions change within him. Longing filled his eyes and he reached out to touch her face. "If you truly want to be our mate, it will come to you. Your body will know how to claim ours." He paused and moved even closer. "Here, let me give you a little help."

Without any other preamble, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in an honest, sincere kiss. It was gentle and slow, as if he was trying to experience everything Beast Boy could: love, honesty, and beauty. His emotions moved through her like water, soothing any fears she might have had. And in that perfect moment, Raven felt her powers push through the last of her resistance. There was nothing that held her back now, and she felt heat spread through her fingertips before embedding into his skin.

This time, she felt the way her powers made the mark across his skin. It was as if her body simply _knew_ what to do, and etched the marking into him. They were finally pulled together as two mates. Raven felt the beginnings of a smile start at the corner of her lips, before she was violently pulled away from her feeling of weightlessness.

Beast Boy gasped and pulled away, putting space between them. "What in Hell…" He stumbled away from her before collapsing down onto the ground on his hands and knees. His emotions vibrated between them and Raven had to take a step back before he managed to upend her own powers.

He stared up at her, coughing. "What just happened?"

"I marked you…" Raven reached out to touch him, but he just pushed her arm away, cringing. His skin radiated heat and his body contorted in pain. Raven felt remorse bubble up inside her. What had she done to him? "I'm sorry if I hurt you, I was just following the beast's suggestion."

"Yes, I _know_… I felt everything, _saw_ everything… but I know that wasn't me." He coughed again, still gasping for breath. "I feel sick. Oh, god…" He managed to pull himself away from her before his stomach decided to empty its contents. Raven cringed and looked away, giving him space.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. No." He curled into a ball and turned away from her, his body shaking violently. "I don't know. Jesus, Rae… what did you do to me? One minute there was darkness, the next, I could see and hear everything between the two of you… and now…"

Raven handed him some water and rubbed his shoulder, pushing some of her more soothing emotions into him. "I'm sorry, I didn't think it would affect you this way."

He took a few long drinks of water and groaned again, rolling away. "It's not your fault. Hell, even I didn't know what would happen…" He reached over and grabbed her hand, his fingers weaving with hers for a moment. "Besides, I don't think all of _this_ is entirely because of your mark."

Raven blanched. "Well, what else could it be?"

"Feel." He pulled her hand over his heart, and Raven initially felt the plain thump of his heart against her fingers. But as she dipped deeper into him psyche, she found his emotions were calm. There was no push and pull against his soul, no drive for dominance within him. The beast wasn't there.

"He's gone." Beast Boy sat up and cradled his head in his shaking hands. Color had finally returned to his face and he didn't look quite so sick any more. "Or, not so much gone as tamed. I think he's finally integrated with me, rather than being just a part or section." He gave Raven a lopsided smile and pulled her closer. "I think you healed us."

"I didn't realize you were damaged." Raven tried to keep herself from sighing as his arms wrapped around her tighter. Instead, she kept her face blank and looked up at him. "So what does this mean?" She swallowed, gathering courage. "For us?"

"I have no idea." Beast Boy shook his head and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Not a single clue."

Silence fell over them for a few, long moments. Raven could feel their emotions touch and tangle, trying to get closer, to reach for one another. It was as if their bodies had an entirely different way of interacting now, and being close wasn't close enough. Raven leaned her head on his shoulder and listened to the calm beat of his heart, before Beast Boy finally broke the silence.

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

There was a slow pause, and Raven could feel him gathering courage to finish his question. "That you wanted to be with us… well, me now, I guess…" He looked down at Raven and frowned. "You said you wanted to be our mate."

Raven tried to hide the smile on her lips. "I marked you, didn't I?"

Beast Boy stared at her for a long moment before pulling her tighter into the shelter of his body. "So, is this the answer you were looking for? Is this what you needed to find?"

Raven shrugged, not exactly sure how to answer that question. "I guess… I was looking for any answer, but I was hoping that this was the right one." There was another pause and she looked up at him. "Why do you think he left? He was so adamant of making sure I was claimed, I would have thought he'd stick around forever."

"I don't know." Beast Boy frowned and looked away. "I can only guess it's because he finally found a mate, someone willing to claim him and willing to tame him. You did both. You stood up to him, but you wanted to be a mate. In the end, I guess he was tamed back into my soul… at least that's all I can think of."

"I guess it makes sense." Raven sighed, feeling like she was left with more questions than answers. "Kind of."

"That's the best answer I've got."

"It'll have to do." Raven smiled up at him. "So, now what? We're mates and all…"

"Now, we take it one day at a time, duh." He tapped her on the forehead and smiled back. "I thought you were smarter than that."

"How do we tell the others?"

Beast Boy blanched. "One, two, three, _not it_."

"That's not fair!"

"I never said this would be fair."

Raven tried to glare at him, but a smile peeled across her lips anyway. Maybe everything was going to be okay. For once in her life she had someone she could depend on, her emotions were under control, and she wasn't being hunted like prey by her friend. For once in her life, she had stability, and she had honest love. There wasn't a whole lot else she could hope for.

Except maybe for Beast Boy to stop telling his _awful_ jokes.

)O(

_Perhaps not one of my better chapters, but I think it ties together nicely. There'll be an epilogue and then this story will wrap up. And, anyone who is still interested, I have already started on the rewrite of this. It's called _**To Claim and Possess**_. So, if you haven't checked it out, I would love your opinion. _

_Thanks again for reading!_


	13. Epilogue

**Primeval  
**Epilogue

)O(

Raven stared up into the face looming over her own, the smile was familiar - an echo of Beast Boy inside his soul, but the eyes were dark as they moved even closer to her own. She swallowed hard and held her own against the violent push of his aura against her powers. Their energies crackled and sizzled for a moment, contention rising up between them. He was just a beast hiding in her lover's body, just a moment of weakness for her and for him - nothing more. He curled his fingers under her chin and leaned down so that his lips hovered over her own, and Raven could smell his wild scent roiling under his skin, reminding her of what had happened not so long ago.

"It has certainly been a long time since I have seen you, demon. Nearly half a year if I could wager a guess..."

"Five months." Her answer was sharp and short, cutting deep into him without remorse. She blinked and finally tugged her chin away from his grasp. "I thought you were gone _permanently_." Raven made no attempt to pull away any farther, knowing the action would rile him up. She was smarter than to feed into his desires, and but wise enough to know not to give into them either.

"No." He took a step back and looked at her as if she were an oasis in the middle of a desert, or a beautiful mirage he didn't quite believe existed.

"I thought Beast Boy and I…" She trailed off not knowing exactly how to iterate what had happened. She shrugged in silence for a moment before and continuing. "I thought Beast Boy and I had finally subdued you."

He chuckled low in his throat, the sound faintly resembling Beast Boy's tired laugh, the one he used when he was falling asleep in her arms but still felt the need to tell his _awful_ jokes. The familiar sound of it sent chills down Raven's spine, and she shivered in response. It had always been her darkest hope that she would never have to lay eyes on him ever again, but clearly fate had other plans for her and she was helpless against them.

"Oh, Raven, did you _honestly_ think I would stay dormant forever?"

"I hoped." She kept her face straight, hiding the overwhelming fear rising up into her throat. How was she going to handle this...

"I rose up against that _damnable_ serum Cyborg gave to me originally, I don't think a little bit of your black magic will keep me hidden forever, Raven." He smiled and crossed his arms over his chest, continuing to stare at her in a long, heavy silence. "I must say that I have missed seeing your face, little demon. Your eyes wide with excitement and fear at my presence… it is such a lovely sight."

Raven snarled up at him, knowing she was giving into his goading and playing right into his hands. She took a slow step back from him, trying to calm herself down, but having flashbacks of the torture that had ensued five months ago. He had used her to get what he wanted, and she was not going to let that happen again. A low growl escaped her throat, and she stopped her retreat. "I'm not going to give into you."

"So angry…" He smiled a genuine smile and the sight was nothing less than frightening. The beast clicked his tongue and shook his head, closing the space that she had put between them. "Relax, demon. I'm not here to force you, I am only here to… check on you." He seemed to question that choice of action, but eventually nodded in affirmation. "I am here to see that you are not doubting your choice of mates."

"I am not." Raven's hand instinctively went to the brand on her stomach and stared up into his face, trying to decipher if there was more to his request. He seemed honest - as far as she could tell anyway - and Raven doubted she had much to sorry about from him. She took a slow breath and let her guard fall slightly. "I have not ever doubted my choice in mates, and I am happy with what happened between Beast Boy and I. Although…" She felt her mind wander for a moment. "I do wish the whole experience wasn't so brutal."

He lifted an eyebrow, but his face stayed stony. "You fought me at every turn, Raven. You fought your own heart and your own destiny. It was not my intention to let the claiming be as rough as it was, but you gave me little choice." He paused for a moment, a pensive silence stretching between them. "I am honestly apologetic for what happened."

Raven couldn't hide her shock. The beast had never apologized for anything in their encounters, he existed simply as himself, nothing more and nothing less. If others were hurt in his wake, it was not his concern in the slightest. To hear him apologize for what had transpired between them was nothing short of a miracle. She shifted on her feet and looked into his face, trying to think of anything to say to him. Finally, she settled on an "oh."

He chuckled, a moment of humanity showing through his cold exterior. "I don't believe I have ever seen you without words. I suppose I should consider this an improvement on my previous behavior?"

Raven blinked slowly. "Yes…"

He continued to stare at her. "You are doubting myself?"

"I am curious what brought on this change." She saw no reason to lie to him, not now anyway. "This is not what you were five months ago when we… interacted. I am hesitant to believe you can simply change your animalistic nature at will." She raised an eyebrow and watching him carefully, trying to decipher his movements and understand him. beast Boy and her had no reason to believe that the beast would ever be back, and yet here he was - taunting Raven with his presence. "I don't want to doubt you, but I have no reason to believe you either."

He smiled that strange, genuine smile again and moved into her space easily, his heat nearly swallowing her petite form. "I thought that was obvious, Raven…" He picked up her hand and placed it on his forearm, right over the raven-shaped mark she had left there months before. "I am _part_ of Beast Boy now, inseparable from him, and because of this… l have felt your love."

Raven struggled to _not_ roll her eyes. The power of _love_ saved him? That seemed rather like a fairytale. She settled for an indelicate snort, but knew her fingers were unconsciously tracing the mark of their own volition. It was _theirs_ - a sign of their love and acceptance of each other as they were. It had been a difficult struggle to accept Beast Boy, knowing that the beast hid in the darkest recesses of his soul, but every tumultuous moment had been worth the pain. Raven pulled her hand back and nodded. "I appreciate the sentiment, but that does not excuse your actions."

He shook his head, looking a bit remorseful. "It does not… although I do hope that in time both you and Beast Boy would find forgiveness for me. It was not my intention to have this love of ours get so wildly out of my own control, and I certainly never meant to hurt you."

For the first time, Raven noticed that he was addressing her and Beast Boy by their names, and not by what they were. She had never heard the beast call Beast Boy as anything other than "host" and her as nothing more than a "demon". It was a sign that change was coming - a slow change that would undoubtedly take years to complete, but a transformation nonetheless. Raven was quite surprised that he had the ability to change at all, although she was struggling to not doubt him.

"And what do you want from me?" She shuddered again, trying to stop the bile rising into her throat. "To claim me again?"

"No," he said calmly, his eyes roaming over her face as he searched her eyes. "No, I am not worthy of your body yet, Raven. I took what was not mine before and I will always suffer the consequences of what happened. I will forever live with that sin, and I cannot forgive myself for that yet." He pulled his hands away from her own and took a step back, his expression softening to something almost human. "Someday, I hope that Beast Boy will allow me the pleasure of having you again, but until then I will happily exist in the recesses of his mind, living through the shadows of his memories and experiences."

Raven lifted an eyebrow, fighting back another incredulous snort. "And what makes you think I'll allow you?"

His soft, human expression vanished into his more beastly look, and he simply smiled.

Raven _hated_ that look. She pursed her lips and looked away.

The beast sighed and rubbed his temples, as if trying to fight off a headache. "I am growing weary, Raven. Beast Boy wishes to have his body back and he is rather _loud_ in my head…"

"You still didn't answer why you're here." Raven tapped her fingers on her thigh in impatience.

"To apologize." He seemed to think for a moment, his eyes staring at the ceiling as if he were deep in thought. A slow second passed and he brought his eyes back down to look into her own. "And to rile Beast Boy up I suppose."

"Rile… him up?" Raven took another step back, eyes darting down his body in confusion. What in the world did that mean? "What are you doing to him?"

"Just reminding him he's a bit of a _beast_."

With that, Raven could feel his aura pull back into his body, and Beast Boy pushed forward, gasping as he clutched his stomach, doubling over. Raven reached out to touch him, but he pushed her hand away, stumbling back on her bed. He shielded his eyes from her and groaned into the mattress, writhing in silence. Raven pushed forward again, trying to grab him and bring him back to his senses, and-

He lifted his eyes to her own and their eyes finally connected. Raven felt a blush rush up her neck to her face. _Oh._

His hands tightened on her arms and he pulled her underneath him in a single, smooth movement. Beast Boy leaned down and bit into her neck, his teeth nipping at the tender skin. Ravn cried out, her back arching as his hands found all the secret hollows of her body again, teasing her body into a fevered state in just a matter of moments.

"I'm going to fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk for a week."

For the first time in five months, she couldn't find a reason to fight the animal inside him.

)O(

_Not exactly worth two years of waiting, but I hope it was enjoyed nonetheless. Ya'll deserve a medal for putting up with me.  
Thanks for being awesome, friends. In the event you don't know, I am on Tumblr, where I post a metric fuck-ton of drabbles (fluff and smut alike) with BBRae. Thanks again, friends! I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you on the otherside! _


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